An East Tennessee woman is heading to the White House this week to speak with President Donald Trump about the opioid epidemic.
Mallie Moore from Jefferson County will meet President Trump on Thursday. She said she got a call earlier this week from a White House representative asking that she stand onstage with the president during a press conference on the opioid epidemic.
"I would have never thought ever, ever, ever that me getting clean and sober and trying to help somebody would lead me to go meet the president and to the White House," Moore said.
Dec. 24 will mark four years clean for Moore. She said she started with marijuana in fifth grade, and by age 17, she started experimenting with opioids.
She said she hit rock bottom after the Department of Children's Services took away her son and daughter. Moore went to jail pregnant with her third child and knew she had to do something to turn her life around.
"I decided that something in my life needed to change, and I didn't want to go down this road anymore," Moore said.
Circuit Court Judge for the 4th Judicial District Duane Slone offered Moore drug recovery court as an option.
The support and services Moore received through the drug recovery court helped her get clean.
"She is the epitome of a success story," Slone said. "Mallie really is like the flower that just continues to grow and bloom and just get more beautiful."
Moore now works at the halfway house where she stayed once she got out of jail. She has her kids back, and she is focused on helping others through recovery.
"It's difficult sometimes, but I can't say that I've entertained the thought of going back to that lifestyle for more than probably about two seconds," Moore said.
Moore recently spoke in Chattanooga with political leaders like Gov. Bill Haslam, former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway about the opioid epidemic and shared her story.
It's a story of hope and recovery that Judge Slone hopes President Trump hears.
"When you surround people with a healthy environment and healthy people and they're motivated, that they can become really healthy people and lead others into recovery," Sloan said.
Moore said she hopes to speak with President Trump about prevention and resources for the opioid epidemic as she represents East Tennessee on a national stage.
"It's hard for me to think that I used to live this life," Moore said. "I'm a completely different person. I'm a woman today. And I'm a mother today, and I'm a friend."