The moment she hit rock bottom is etched in Jenelle Evans’ mind. Staying with then-boyfriend Kieffer Delp at his mom’s New Jersey home in 2012, she overdosed on heroin, coming to on the bathroom floor. “I basically blacked out,” the star of MTV’s Teen Mom 2 reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “And woke up not remembering anything.”
The incident, which she details in her new book, Read Between the Lines, was sobering for the North Carolina native. “I was appalled — I couldn’t believe that happened,” says the mom of Jace, 8, Kaiser, 3, and Ensley, 6 months. “I really was so close to dying.”
Though she hadn’t spoken to mom Barbara in two weeks, “I called her and begged her to please come help.” The 25-year-old, now engaged to welder David Eason, recounts her darkest days to Us.
Us Weekly: The night you overdosed, what happened after your mom arrived?
Jenelle Evans: I quit cold turkey. I just went to my mom’s house and rode it out. I started to go through withdrawals for the first time. I didn’t know it would be like the worst flu I’ve ever had for seven days. First, you have insomnia, then you can’t eat, then you have panic attacks, then hot and cold sweats for a week, uncontrollable shaking and your joints hurt. You can die from trying to withdraw on your own. I luckily did it safely. But I said to myself, “I’m done. I can’t ever go through this again.”
Us: What made you decide to speak out about this now?
JE: I want to bring attention to how severe the heroin epidemic is. It’s horrible. It is like a disease and needs to be treated like it.
Us: Were you scared to be so honest?
JE: I was afraid to speak out and tell people that I was on drugs. People were accusing me of it, but I just thought, “Oh, they don’t know me. I have it figure out.” I was in denial.
Us: You’re still battling your mom for custody of Jace. What would it take to fix things?
JE: I told her, “If you want to be in my life, you can give me back my son and we can start from there.” I can’t stand that a mother would do this to her daughter. I lost all respect for her.
Us: Will she be at your wedding this October?
JE: As of now, I’m not inviting any of my family. It’s just going to be close friends and some of David’s family.
Us: What about the other Teen Moms?
JE: Producers, my old director and my current director will be coming. I just want people who actually care to keep up with me and text, no acquaintances. Tight circle only.
Us: How has planning been?
JE: I’m going for a Southern rustic theme, but also elegant. It’s going to be outdoors on our land. We’re also installing an in-ground pool. I put on the invite, “Bring your bathing suit!”
Us: With David daughter, you guys have four kids at home. Plans for more?
JE: No! I am planning to get my tubes tied as soon as I get the time. I mean, I’m 75 percent sure. But I don’t want any more kids. The shop is closed for business!
Us: How has your life changed since you started filming six years ago?
JE: I watched myself really running with a bad crowd. Now I’m settled down in my house, I don’t go out partying. I’m not a bad kid anymore.
Teen Mom 2 airs on MTV, Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.
