CHEYNA MITCHELL WIGLEY CELEBRATES ROCOVERY AND HONORS THE ORGAN DONOR WHO SAVED HER LIFE

9 Years Sober and a Second Chance at Life: Cheyna Michelle Wigley Honors the Donor She Will Never Forget

Cheyna Michelle Wigley is celebrating 9 years of sobriety with gratitude for her parents, compassion for people still battling addiction and a lasting promise to remember the organ donor who helped save her life.

For Wigley, the milestone carries memories of a medical crisis and the pain her family experienced alongside her. Those memories remain a powerful reason to protect her recovery.

“Between not wanting to feel that pain again and knowing MY PARENTS won’t go through that again…is all I need to stay sober,” Wigley said.

Her celebration also honors Leon LaPrarie, whose decision to become an organ donor gave her another chance at life. While she expresses gratitude for that opportunity, she also recognizes that his family lost someone they loved.

“And I will always give incredible thanks to Leon LaPrarie for choosing to be a donor,” Wigley said. “I wished he wouldn’t have had to leave his family behind. But his family is one of my greatest blessings throughout all of this.”

That connection remains an important part of her recovery story. As she celebrates another year, she continues to recognize LaPrarie and the family whose loss is forever connected to her survival.

Wigley speaks candidly about how close she came to losing her future. She gives particular recognition to people who seek recovery before experiencing a crisis like hers.

“I will always give praise to those who do it before they’re about to meet our Maker. That is so hard. I never even tried,” she said.

She also has a message of compassion for people who are still struggling. Her own milestone has not erased her understanding of how painful addiction can be for individuals and their families.

“And for those still struggling, it breaks my heart,” Wigley said. “Addiction is messy. It’s not something anyone chooses. No one wants to become a shell of who they are.”

After 9 years sober, Wigley continues to carry her parents’ love, the memory of what they endured and her gratitude for LaPrarie into the life she is living today.