Bricklayers Local 1 Apprentice Shares Her Story of Addiction, Recovery and Journey Into the Trades
Date Posted: October 27, 2026
Posted In: People,
From St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune: Samantha Downey’s life has come full circle. A third-year Bricklayers Local 1 apprentice, Downey took to the stage at this year’s Tradeswomen Build Nations convention to share her story of addiction, recovery and her journey into the union building trades.
Downey, who serves as Missouri Women in Trades vice president, attended the conference in Houston earlier this month. The convention, sponsored by TradesFutures and the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), is committed to expanding access to fulfilling, life-changing careers in construction and strengthening pathways into the building trades for women.
‘LOST THE WILL TO LIVE’
“Three and a half years ago, I was a hopeless dope fiend who had lost the will to live,” Downey said. “I lost custody of my youngest daughter to my abuser, and I had emotionally abandoned my 14-year-old leaving her with a mother who was unpredictable, absent and barely hanging on. It’s incredible to stand here today and recognize how full circle my life has come.”
Downey said she was raised by two loving parents who taught her that she could succeed at anything she put my mind to. She said that deep down she always knew apprenticeship was the right path for her. She just didn’t know which one.