Candy Behler recalls hitting rock bottom in life. “I gave up on myself and never thought I had a chance of turning my life around,” said Behler, who was an admitted addict.

She has turned her life around, though.

She and four others who abused drugs completed a drug-treatment program offered through the Carbon County Court system.

On Wednesday, the five received graduation certificates during a drug treatment court graduation held in main courtroom of the Carbon County Courthouse.

The certificates were given to them by Judge Joseph J. Matika who praised them for “overcoming your addiction and maintaining your sobriety.”

In addition, because of the intensive efforts required of the participants to complete the program, District Attorney Michael Greek announced that any pending charges against the graduates are disposed and will not be prosecuted.

Judge Matika said that combined, the five individuals have amassed a total of 3,868 days of sobriety.

The graduates of the program besides Behler are Danielle Beers, Felicia Bower, Joseph Collins and Jamie Locher.

The courtroom was filled with family members, friends and supporters of the five graduates.

Also attending were the members of the Carbon County Drug Treatment Program including representatives of Carbon County Court, the public defenders’ office, adult probation office and other county agencies.

Participants in the program must apply and then be approved by the treatment program members.

Tammy Recker, treatment court coordinator, praised the efforts of those who overcame their addictions and told them, “You have worked so very hard.”

“We believed in you, and you believed in yourself,” she said.

“This is your night,” Judge Matika told the quintet of graduates.

He said, “Each of you recognized the struggles you were having.”

“Some of you felt that because of your addiction you were destined to die,” he said. “And some of you almost did.”

To qualify for completion of the court treatment program, the participants had to obtain treatment, attend periodic court sessions and prove they were free of their drug dependency. As a result, “each of you has become a contributing member of society,” he said.

The main speaker was Judge William H. Amesbury of Luzerne County.

He said he had worked in the detoxication unit of Wilkes-Barre Area Hospital. He said, “You have to be there. You have to live it for people to understand it.”

Of overcoming addiction, Judge Amesbury told them, “Tonight you won the first major round in this fight.”

One of the highlights was the presentation of the Matthew Reabold Memorial Award. Reabold was a 2008 graduate of Jim Thorpe High School. In 2016, he succumbed to his addiction of opioids at the age of 27.

Attending the presentation were his father, Butch Reabold, his mother, Karen Figura and his sister Nicole Reabold McGinley.

The recipients were Bower and Locher.

Judge Matika said the award was established by Reabold’s family to recognize individuals for their success in fighting their addiction.

Although two had to be selected, the judge said to all five who completed the program, “You are all winners in all our books.”

Each of the five who completed the program made remarks and gave thanks for the court’s drug treatment program which enabled them to have another chance.

Of the program, Beers said, “I’m walking proof that works.”

Behler told how the program helped her and how important that is because “I need to be that good example to my children.”

Bower said, “This was my last chance, my last hope.” She said addiction “tells you you’re not good enough; you’re not worthy.”

She thanked her mother and her children for their continued hope and encouragement.

Collins said, “Two years ago I was unrecognizable.” He said he was prepared to give up. Now, he is 554 days clean. He said of the court’s drug program, “Nobody gave up on me. Thank you for the second chance.”

Locher said she is free of drugs for 1,631 days. “Thank you for never giving up on me even when I gave up on myself,” she told the drug treatment program members.