Ellen spent her first night sober in jail. She spent the next full week detoxing from heroin in jail without medical assistance. When the fog cleared, Ellen had a new faith in herself to get sober and get her life together. The road that landed her in jail was a long one and from that moment on, she began the even longer road to recovery and health. 

"I didn't think it was possible to be sober for even one day. Now I'm coming up on nine months."
-Ellen

Ellen started using in her teen years beginning with alcohol and marijuana. One day, Ellen said, she looked around and realized that everyone around her was doing heroin. So, she started, too. That’s when the trouble that led to her incarceration really began.

After serving time, Ellen was referred by King County Drug Court to YAIT, the Y’s transitional housing facility downtown. Having her own space has allowed Ellen to focus on sobriety and building a relationship with her daughter. Ellen has been sober for 9 months, is excelling at her job and plans on attending college to become a pediatric nurse. 

UNHEARD: LeRoy Bell & Ellen

Ellen sat down with singer-songwriter LeRoy Bell. LeRoy played in Special Blend, and then went on to form duo Bell and James, also composing songs that were hits for other artists most notably two charting hit singles for  Elton John. Later Bell became a member of the trio Only Friends. In 2011, Bell applied for the American version of The X Factor  and was chosen for the Final 16.

Ready to Come Home

Lyrics and music by Leroy Bell

One day at a time she worked her way back from the ruins that she made,
All the things she took to dull her pain brought her down so low
She’s already to start again
Take hold of her life again
Stronger than she was before
Ready to come home
She’s already to thrive again
Turn around and fight again
Lighter than she was before
Ready to come home
At first it didn’t seem real, she didn’t want to feel, she put into her veins all the dreams she couldn’t dream, but she didn’t care, life wasn’t fair, she wanted to escape anyway she could
She’s already to start again
Take hold of her life again
Stronger than she was before
Ready to come home
She’s already to thrive again
Turn around and fight again
Lighter than she was before
Ready to come home
Never thought she’d be homeless no
Never thought she’d be strung out now
Never thought she’d be dependent
On the kindness of strangers one day, oh oh oh
She’s already to start again
Take hold of her life again
Stronger than she was before
Ready to come home
She’s already to thrive again
Turn around and fight again
Lighter than she was before
Ready to come home