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Mother Says Viral Overdose Photo Helped Her Get Clean

Erika Hurt was in jail recovering from a near-fatal heroin overdose that occurred while her infant son was in the back of car when she first saw the image of herself slumped unconscious in the driver's seat, NBC News reported.

The photo, taken by an officer just before medics revived her with a shot of Narcan, appeared on the evening news.

"They exposed me and my addiction to the whole world," Hurt, 26, recalled. "I thought it was terrible."

Hope Town Marshal Matt Tallent said he never meant to embarrass Hurt by releasing the photo. He wanted to draw attention to epidemic rocking Hope, Indiana.

Erika Hurt

Hurt has since changed her mind and on Sunday celebrated a year of sobriety by posting the photo on Facebook as a reminder of how far she has come.

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