Locks for Dependency founder seeks responses following damage to home

LEXINGTON, Ky. (BNN)-- The founder of the Locks for Addiction fence in Lexington is ravaged after somebody destroyed the screen. The fence has actually played an essential role in many survivor's journeys to sobriety.

The fence, located on Newtown Pike, is covered in hundreds of locks that represent stories of loss and triumph. To survivors like Gale Smith, it's a celebration of her sobriety.

Smith fought dependency for many years, but for her, the Locks for Addiction fence ended up being a key location of hope.

" Took me five attempts before I got it right," stated Smith. Instead of closing the bar at 4 in the early morning, I'm waking up at four in the early morning to go to work.

The fence was created by Pam Stamper in honor of her boy who died due to addiction 10 years earlier.

" It took many years for me to get past that, however I wished to help save anyone else out here," stated Stamper. "Someone else's boy, someone else's child, or dad."

During a routine check of the website this weekend, Stamper said she found it covered in stacks of trees that were lowered. The big Locks for Addiction sign individuals might see from the roadway was also uprooted and missing.

" I seemed like someone vandalized my kid's grave," stated Stamper. "I felt like they vandalized the people that are so proud that wants to come down here and hang locks."

" People's households are on here," included Smith. "You understand, my family, me, her family, and others."

Smith and Stamper stated it's hurtful and ill-mannered for someone to thoughtlessly tear down what is a sign of expect many.

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" Everything that's on that fence implies something to somebody," stated Stamper. "It might be a shoestring on there. It implies something to someone."

" I imply, some may not have names, but God understands who put it there," said Smith. "God knows all about each and every single story that relates to any of these locks."

Stamper stated this obstacle will not stop the impact this location has on the lives affected by dependency..

" I believe it's a big monolith that will be here for many years to come," said Stamper.

Stamper said she leases this land from CSX Railroad. BNN reached out to the company in search of answers but did not hear back. Stamper said she has volunteers who will assist her eliminate what has actually been dumped here later today.