Hope Scheppelman: 16 Yrs Sober A Redemption Story

ROOTED IN VALUES. READY FOR CHANGE.

Hello, Colorado. Hope Scheppelman here, the former vice chairwoman of the Colorado GOP, and this is your grassroots roundup.

We’re going to talk about something completely different today.

Hope Scheppelman 16 years sober.

Today, I celebrate 16 years of sobriety from alcohol. That’s not a badge. It’s not a headline. It’s a true miracle.

I don’t stand here today because I’m strong. I stand here because I was finally got honest about being weak. There was a time in my life when alcohol was the only thing that kept me numb enough to survive the weight of the world.

I wore the uniform. I served my country. But then the noise got too loud. The trauma, the loss, the guilt, the grief. I turned to the bottle. And then the bottle turned on me. 16 years ago, I was standing at the edge emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I was barely holding on.

And to be honest, I didn’t know if I wanted to go back. But God God showed up in the wreckage. He reached into the mess and he gave me one more chance and I said yes. And it changed everything.

Recovery didn’t just give me back my life.

It gave me a mission. Because the truth is, too many of our brothers and sisters never got back to this side. Veterans, first responders, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, warriors in pain who fought for our country but lost the fight at home.

So I made a promise. If I got out, I would go back in for them. I would tell the truth, no matter how ugly and no matter how raw. I would sit in the trenches with the hurting, with the addict, and the ashamed. Because nobody heals in isolation. We heal in unity.

Sobriety taught me the real strengths are. It’s not hiding in pain. It’s holding somebody else’s hand when they’re going through the things. It’s standing in your story unashamed and using it to light the way for somebody else’s path.

Today, I (Hope Scheppelman) celebrate 16 years of sobriety from alcohol. 16 years of saying yes to God.

16 years of staying with it when things weren’t easy and I wanted to run.
16 years of watching him turn my rock bottom into a foundation.

So to every veteran still fighting in silence.
To every woman staring at the ceiling wondering if tomorrow is worth it.
To every addict who thinks they’re too far gone, you’re not.

I’m still here.
And if I can be free, so can you.
This isn’t just about sobriety.
It’s about redemption.
God isn’t done with you.
Unity is possible, and miracles still happen.
And I happen to be one of them.
16 years and I’m just getting started.
Thank you so much, and love you all.

Sobriety has given me more than freedom from alcohol—it has given me life itself. It gave me laughter that is real, peace that doesn’t vanish, and mornings filled with clarity instead of regret. It restored my family, deepened my faith, and strengthened my marriage. Sobriety gave me courage to dream again and purpose to serve with an honest heart. It let me walk into rooms with my head high, keep promises I once broke, and look others in the eye without shame. It gave me the small joys, the smell of coffee at sunrise, the sound of my loved ones’ voices, the strength to be present. Most of all, it gave me gratitude. Every day I wake up knowing the miracle continues. Sobriety didn’t just remove the darkness; it opened the door to a life of redemption, joy, and hope. And for that, I will never stop giving thanks.