An addict who gave her daughter love and drugs
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Domenica Ruta was raised by a single mother, described by the New York Times as, "a good parent and a very, very bad parent rolled into one ... She encouraged Domenica's artistic bent, paid for parochial school (by helping someone sell a brick of cocaine) and persuaded her to apply to Andover, the exclusive prep school. Yet she suggested that her daughter should get pregnant and drop out, and was so overjoyed when Domenica, a late bloomer when it came to drugs, finally began smoking pot that she gave her a bag of it for Christmas."
Domenica's relationship with her mother is central to her memoir, "With or Without You." Nikki, as she calls herself in the book, became an addict like her mother despite her prestigious degrees. She was able to become sober only after severing all ties to her mother. They have not spoken in seven years.
Read an excerpt from "With or Without You."
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
