A mum who hit "rock bottom" and became addicted to drugs after her husband was tragically killed says finding new love helped turned her life around.<br /><br />Natalee King, 33, says she was "high almost 24/7" following the death of her soldier partner John King in 2013.<br /><br />She became depressed and addicted to crystal meth and Xanax - and even spent time in prison for drug-driving.<br /><br />But, five years after going sober, Natalee is a woman transformed.<br /><br />The air force vehicle operator says meeting Justin White, 31, helped her onto the straight and narrow - and they now have a beautiful family.<br /><br />John, a soldier, was killed in a training accident ten years ago.<br /><br />She said: "I was told he was OK at first, but two hours went by and then they all showed up in blue uniform, and told me he was dead.<br /><br />"It was gut-wrenching. I remember I was sitting on the couch and when I stood up, my knees gave out. I fell to the floor and started vomiting like I had the flu.<br /><br />"I remember looking at my son and it was unbearable - I didn't know how I would be able to raise him alone."<br /><br />John's death sent Natalee into a spiral - and it was then that she became addicted to prescription Xanax.<br /><br />She said: "It made me forget what I was feeling. Every day was so painful - every morning I'd wake up and hate my life. I wished I wouldn't have to keep waking up."<br /><br />But, just months later, doctors took the drugs away - so Natalee turned to buying it from street dealers on street corners.<br /><br />Natalee says she was then in and out of prison - and had to sign over custody of her young son over to her mum.<br /><br />She said: "My mum talked me into handing over custody because she didn't think I would make it out alive.<br /><br />But then, in 2016, Natalee met Justin - who told her he wanted to help her get clean.<br /><br />The couple worked together and now, in February 2023, it will be five years since she touched drugs, cigarettes or alcohol.<br /><br />The mum-of-two also got custody of John back from her mum and she and Justin had a son of their own, Jensen Richard White, now four, in 2018.<br /><br />She said: "When I hit rock bottom, I was taking methamphetamine in the day to wake me up, and Xanax at night to help me sleep.<br /><br />"I had no car, no job, and I was living at my parents house.<br /><br />"But a man came into my life, Justin, and helped me get sober. It took two years to taper myself off the Xanax because of how much I was taking.<br /><br />"Justin stayed by my side until I was clean - even when my father died in 2021, which I had worried would send me spiralling back, I stayed sober.<br /><br />"Now I'll celebrate five years clean next month and it feels amazing - I'm not on a constant rollercoaster any more.<br /><br />"It feels so good to be clean. Drugs really tear your body apart, so badly.<br /><br />"I felt - and still feel - temptations all the time. I even have dreams of using Xanax and crystal meth almost every night, even five years later.<br /><br />"But I'm not around those people any more - I have my kids and I have Justin.<br /><br />"I lost almost half my life to drugs but I will not go back - because it feels amazing to be here."
