After more than a decade of dealing with an alcohol addiction, Tabatha Longver finally decided it was time to put herself first.
Tabatha had spent 13 years as a stay at home mom, and while her family was the most important thing to her, their concerns were not enough to get her to quit drinking. Eventually, the drinking got so bad that it led to seizures and hospitalizations, and Tabatha made the decision that she was done.
After nearly a year of sobriety, Tabatha was ready to go back to school.
“I decided I needed something else,” she said. “I needed something under my belt for me. When I quit drinking, I didn’t do it for my kids or my husband. I did it just for me. I needed to keep that mentality going to keep me motivated to not drink. I need to do things for me.”
Tabatha had always enjoyed working with her hands, fixing things around her home. She looked up trade schools and after a quick tour, she was enrolled in UEI Tacoma’s Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technician program.
“I was nervous. It was crazy,” Tabatha said. “I hadn’t been in a school setting in over a decade. My teacher was really nice and the people there were great. You go to school and you’re expecting to be in a classroom full of people your age. That wasn’t the case for me. The younger kids in there helped motivate me. I couldn’t believe they had so much motivation at their young age. Everyone was just super nice.”
In addition to improving herself, Tabatha found herself inspiring her daughter. Her oldest child was ready to give up on school because of the bullying she had faced. Tabatha promised her they would both go back to school and get through it together.
“I want to be a good role model for my kids and show them education is so important, and consistency, and keeping your word, and showing yourself you can do something,” Tabatha said. “Prove yourself right because it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world.”
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Tabatha did prove herself right. She has been consistent with her schooling and her sobriety.
“All of my sponsors and mentors have been blown away with how I’ve been doing,” she said. “Even the other students in class have been cheering me on. We talk about our lives and it’s a really open environment. I can go talk to anyone. School gives me something to do so I don’t get lost.”
Tabatha never graduated high school or college in the past. Finishing this program holds a special meaning for her.
“I can’t wait to walk [in graduation] because I’ve never walked before,” she said. “I know this is something I’ve worked really hard at for nine months, so it’s a big deal to me. I want people to look at my story and know anything is possible. I’ve been through some of the worst things a person can go through in life and I’m still in college. You have to want it for yourself. If you want it, you can do anything.”
A career in HVAC is also something Tabatha is looking forward to.
“I’m looking forward to being outside and not being chauffeured around because I have to do everything for everyone,” she said. “I get to go to work. It’s my thing. It’s my job. It keeps me grounded and keeps me busy. I’m almost sad the program is so short because I really enjoy going. I wish I enjoyed school this much when I was a kid.”
