Breaking the Silence: How PAL Gives Hope to Parents of Addicted Loved Ones
Mon Aug 04 2025
What happens when a veteran police commander discovers both his sons are addicted to heroin? Kim Humphrey, Executive Director of Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL), takes us on a deeply personal journey through the darkest valleys of family addiction and into the light of recovery and hope.
Despite three decades in law enforcement, Kim never saw addiction coming to his own home. When a concerned parent called to warn that his teenage son might overdose, Kim and his wife initially denied the possibility. "You called the wrong house," his wife insisted. This moment began a decade-long nightmare of treatments, relapses, homelessness, and criminal charges that nearly destroyed their family.
Through raw, honest storytelling, Kim reveals how addiction shatters the foundations of family life and how the stigma surrounding substance use disorders often leaves parents isolated and blamed. "We started thinking we must be awful parents," he shares, highlighting how society misunderstands addiction as purely a moral failing rather than a complex brain disorder.
The conversation explores how PAL's unique approach combines education with peer support, helping parents distinguish between healthy support and unhealthy enabling. Kim explains the organization's remarkable growth from a local Phoenix support group to a national network operating in all 50 states and nine countries, serving families dealing with everything from marijuana and alcohol to fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.
Perhaps most powerfully, Kim offers genuine hope. His sons, once at death's door, have maintained sobriety for over a decade. One now works full-time helping others overcome addiction, and Kim proudly anticipates his younger son's upcoming wedding. "I never thought they would even survive," he reflects. "Not everybody's story ends that way, but lots of them do. There is hope and there is a way out."
If you're struggling with a loved one's addiction or know someone who is, visit palgrouporg to find support meetings, resources, and a community that understands the journey ahead.
Follow the work of SAM and FDPS below:
https://learnaboutsam.org/
https://gooddrugpolicy.org/
https://thedrugreport.org/
On X:
https://twitter.com/learnaboutsam
https://twitter.com/GoodDrugPolicy
https://twitter.com/KevinSabet
https://twitter.com/LukeNiforatos
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/learnaboutsam
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What happens when a veteran police commander discovers both his sons are addicted to heroin? Kim Humphrey, Executive Director of Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL), takes us on a deeply personal journey through the darkest valleys of family addiction and into the light of recovery and hope. Despite three decades in law enforcement, Kim never saw addiction coming to his own home. When a concerned parent called to warn that his teenage son might overdose, Kim and his wife initially denied the possibility. "You called the wrong house," his wife insisted. This moment began a decade-long nightmare of treatments, relapses, homelessness, and criminal charges that nearly destroyed their family. Through raw, honest storytelling, Kim reveals how addiction shatters the foundations of family life and how the stigma surrounding substance use disorders often leaves parents isolated and blamed. "We started thinking we must be awful parents," he shares, highlighting how society misunderstands addiction as purely a moral failing rather than a complex brain disorder. The conversation explores how PAL's unique approach combines education with peer support, helping parents distinguish between healthy support and unhealthy enabling. Kim explains the organization's remarkable growth from a local Phoenix support group to a national network operating in all 50 states and nine countries, serving families dealing with everything from marijuana and alcohol to fentanyl and other synthetic drugs. Perhaps most powerfully, Kim offers genuine hope. His sons, once at death's door, have maintained sobriety for over a decade. One now works full-time helping others overcome addiction, and Kim proudly anticipates his younger son's upcoming wedding. "I never thought they would even survive," he reflects. "Not everybody's story ends that way, but lots of them do. There is hope and there is a way out." If you're struggling with a loved one's addiction or know someone who is, visit palgrouporg to find support meetings, resources, and a community that understands the journey ahead. Follow the work of SAM and FDPS below: https://learnaboutsam.org/ https://gooddrugpolicy.org/ https://thedrugreport.org/ On X: https://twitter.com/learnaboutsam https://twitter.com/GoodDrugPolicy https://twitter.com/KevinSabet https://twitter.com/LukeNiforatos On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/learnaboutsam