"A tale of grit told with brutal honesty and a hefty dose of humor by the woman who lived it.
Pretty Wrecked is pretty awesome, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has not yet figured out how to live the life they deserve."
~ Angela Duckworth
Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Author of "Grit" and Co-Host of "No Stupid Questions"
My name is Tracy, and I am a recovering addict and alcoholic.
I’m proud to be among the few who’ve clawed their way back from addiction and maintained long-term recovery. And while I wouldn't wish substance abuse issues on anyone, the lessons and growth I have experienced as a result of getting sober so young have been invaluable!
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I grew up in a wealthy suburb of Philadelphia with a loving mother and access to everything I could want. But addiction doesn’t discriminate—it found me at 16, after years of emotional abuse from my stepfather and neglect from my real father. Drugs and alcohol became my escape from the pain, from a reality and history I did not want to face. The moment I opened that door to 'numbing out', addiction took hold.
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But I fought back—minute by minute, day by day—and reclaimed my life. That choice, made over 29 years ago, has defined my story. Pretty Wrecked began as a personal project, inspired by the growing fentanyl and opioid crisis, and dramatic increase in alcohol abuse during COVID. As I shared my story, my husband encouraged me to take it further, to spread hope and the wisdom a sober lifestyle has brought me. As they say in AA, “In order to keep it, you have to give it away.”
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I hope you enjoy the stories and lessons shared in Pretty Wrecked.
Tracy Viola's Debut Memoir
Marred by emotional turmoil and addiction's grip, can one teenager rise up to mend the shattered pieces of her life and soul?
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In this engrossing and unexpectedly funny memoir, ascend from the cold city streets to the Ivy League, where one woman proves it doesn’t matter where you start … it matters where you finish.
Pretty Wrecked is the inspiring true story of Tracy Viola's journey through addiction and recovery.
