The Life of the Party in Moonshine Holler
Randi Cantley grew up in Eccles, West Virginia, in a community known locally as Moonshine Holler. Her childhood was far from easy, marked by a toxic family environment and a grandfather who was a coal miner and an alcoholic. She learned the art of manipulation and the toxic lifestyle at a very young age, stealing her grandfather’s liquor when she was only ten years old. By the time she was fifteen, she was a full blown alcoholic who viewed life as nothing more than a constant party. Eventually, she decided that her only plan for the future was to become a drug dealer, a path she followed for over thirty years.
“I grew up in Moonshine Holler… alcohol was so accessible to my life.”
Survival, Sepsis, and a Missing Limb
In 2017, Randi’s life changed forever when she was involved in a devastating car accident. The collision left her with sixteen shattered ribs, which were eventually replaced with metal, and a shattered ankle. During her recovery, she became addicted to hospital pain medication, which quickly spiraled into heroin and fentanyl use. Her body began rejecting the metal in her ankle, leading to a severe bone infection that doctors warned would kill her within thirty days. Even after having her leg amputated, Randy remained in the grip of addiction, signing herself out of the hospital just twelve hours after surgery with no antibiotics or instructions just to find her next fix.
“I signed myself out 12 hours after getting my leg cut off with no antibiotics, no equipment, no instructions, no nothing, just a half a leg less.”
The DMV Miracle and a New Mission
Randi eventually spent eighteen months on the run from the law while missing a leg, slinging dope and avoiding warrants until she was finally caught and given a choice between prison or treatment. While she initially went to rehab for the wrong reasons, a miraculous encounter changed her heart. On her daughter’s eighteenth birthday, after Randi had prayed for a sign from God, she ran face to face with her daughter at the DMV after not seeing her for six years. Today, Randi is three years sober, pursuing a degree in social work, and running an outreach program called Saved by Grace to help those still stuck in the “trenches” of addiction.
“I ran face to face with my daughter. I hadn’t seen her in almost 6 years. One, God is real, two, he gave me exactly what I asked for.”
Want to hear the full, incredible story of Randi’s journey from the trap house to the pulpit? You won’t want to miss the raw and unfiltered conversation in the original video.
