Adrienne Banfield-Norris, aka Gammy, is celebrating her “clean date” today by opening up to her Instagram followers about the journey of getting sober.
Posting a video to her social media account, she calmly took the time to acknowledge that it’s been a little over three decades since she got clean. Recording herself in a beautiful outside area, she said, “So I’m outside, and I just wanted to take a few minutes to be peaceful and still. Today is my anniversary, my clean date. 31 years, one day at a time.”
Norris, who is the mother of actress Jada Pinkett Smith, struggled with heroin addiction for about 20 years. The 68-year-old opened up about her battle on her show with her daughter and granddaughter Willow Smith, “Red Table Talk,” where she’s shared that she’s even overdosed on the narcotic.
She went on to talk about a passage in her post, saying that she felt it is very “appropriate” for the special moment. Only stating that the passage was from the “Basic Text,” she said, “For me, that passage is about surrender. And I’ve spent so many years in that insanity of active addiction, running in and out and just that revolving door. You know, trying to get my life back together. And you know, that surrender was a struggle but it was the surrender that was the beginning of the change in my life.”
In the second slide, which was also the final slide, she recites the passage that she said she resonated with in the first video. Instead of recording herself this time, she showed a video of her surroundings, which consisted of a backdrop of shrubbery and mountains.
In the background, she quotes the passage from the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous. She said, “When at the end of the road we find that we can no longer function as a human being, either with or without drugs, we all face the same dilemma: Either go on as best we can to the bitter ends — jails, institutions or death — or find a new way to live.”
“Be still. Be present. 31 years clean, one day at a time,” she wrote.
Others rallied behind Norris’ message for support. One said, “You know overstand! Congratulations and keep being a living example.”
Sheree Zampino who is Norris’ son-in-law Will Smith’s ex-wife, also left a few kind words. She said, “Wow Gam! I’m grateful for your surrender! You are so loved and necessary in my journey – thank you!
Someone else wrote, “So humbly stated. Blessings Gammy on your continued journey. Congratulations.”
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