A Local Woman Hit The Jackpot of a Low, Served Time, And Is Now On The Road to Recovery.
GRAND TRAVERSE CO., MI -- For many it's pure entertainment and lots of fun, hanging out with family and friends at the casino.
There are 23 casinos across Michigan and they're a big boost to the state's economy.
Not only do they provide jobs for thousands of people, each casino also contributes to the local economy.
Just last year, Grand Traverse County received more than $1.7 million.
But a casino can be a dangerous place for some.
Here’s the story of one woman who gambled her life away, and is just now starting to bounce back.
"One, I have a gambling addiction, two, if I can help somebody, just one other person with the same problem by telling my story, then that's good," says Melinda Small.
For Melinda Small, going to the casino started out as something to do just for fun. She liked the flashing lights and the atmosphere - it made her feel like a winner. She liked the camaraderie she felt from other gamblers and it was a place where she felt welcomed.
It was a way for her to cope with the tough realities of her life. But eventually, it just wasn't fun anymore. That's when it began spiraling out of control.
"I was spending more money than I was bringing in. And what I started doing was I was supplementing my income by writing extra checks from the employer I worked for, and just kept doing it, and I did that for probably four years," said Small.
And it caught up with her. 7&4 News covered the story in 2004.
Small was convicted for embezzlement and sentenced to four years in prison. Two years into her sentence, serving her debt to society, she finally realized that she was an addicted gambler. After that realization - even a simple card game was a temptation.
“Once I realized I had the problem, I didn't want to feed the addiction while I was there, and I wanted to do everything I could do to stop it, so I stayed away from all of those games," said Small.
In January of last year, Small was released on parole. One of the stipulations: she needed to find help. That's when she met Barbara Emmott, an addiction counselor at Munson Behavioral Health Services.
"It wasn't until two years until she was in prison that she even was able to acknowledge that she had a gambling addiction so being arrested, the family issues, and all the problems that come along with that didn't help her become aware of it until after she was in prison," said Emmott.
Emmott says when Small was released from prison, she jumped on the right track. She stepped forward acknowledging she had the problem.
"Walking through that door for the first time is really difficult and creates a lot of anxiety, and we're not going to judge you, it's just getting here, and let's see where it goes from there," said Emmott.
Small is on the road to recovery. It's not just kicking the addiction to gambling, but it's also trying to recover the time she lost with family and friends. Her husband and one of her daughters have stuck by her. But she's still trying to regain the trust of her other daughter.
"You lose that trust, and it's just one day at a time rebuilding that, and saying that if you're going to do something, and this is what you do, when you lose all that trust, you've got to start over, and that's what Gamblers Anonymous does for you, it gives you the tools to do that, it gives you the 12 steps to rebuild your life," said Small.
Small took the toughest gamble of her life, a gamble that wasn't going to make her rich with money, but rich with a new life, renewed love, and a story that will hopefully turn those who are troubled in the right direction.
"I have in my pocket here, in the program, they give us achievements, and I'm real proud of the fact that this is my five year coin from gamblers anonymous," said Small. "I have a better life now, better relationship with my family, a better relationship with my husband, it's made me become more honest, because I have to be, so for me, it's the best thing that's ever happened...to realize I had an addiction and go forward.”
Small banned herself from all casinos as she's been on the right track for five years. She says she'll be attending Gambler's Anonymous and receiving other help for the rest of her life. She says the key is to make that first move and reach out for the help you need.
If you think you have a gambling problem, there's free help available to you.
Thanks to a state grant, Munson Healthcare offers a program free of charge.
Munson Healthcare- (800) 662-6766
Michigan Hotline Number- (888) 844-2891
