Last Friday, pre-prom speaker Peter “Ed” Kressy gave Oakmont a heartfelt speech about his struggles with addiction and his poor decision-making in his youth, as well as his powerful recovery and striking journey to where he is today.
Prom is one of the biggest events of the year, with juniors and seniors alike spending hours getting dressed up and ready to have fun. Prom is also a major focus for the school’s SADD program, which stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. Every year, around the time of prom, this committee – run by English educator Mr. Timothy Caouette – brings in a speaker to warn against bad decisions that could be made on the night of prom or anytime thereafter.
This year, our school got the wonderful opportunity to hear the truly emotional journey of Kressy and his struggles with multiple addictions, such as binge drinking, excessive smoking, and his most prominent: methamphetamine. Kressy did an outstanding job of keeping the students engaged throughout the story. His story was fascinating and one that was relatable to so many people in the audience. His anecdote about being viewed as “a normal kid” with “a normal life” really brought light to how bad decisions and addiction could have lasting impacts on anyone at any given moment.
The real beauty of his story lies in the people he had met since his decision to pursue sobriety and avoid addiction. His outstanding impact on the community was something to be commended and shone a beacon of hope for anybody out in the crowd who might be struggling.
