From Legacy to Leadership: How Watertown Native Ally Helle is Breaking the Cycle of Addiction
- Steve Jurrens
- Jan 9
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 10
Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - For many growing up in the Midwest, the sight of a backyard bonfire and the sound of a cracking beer can are synonymous with community and celebration. For Watertown native Ally Helle, those same sights and sounds formed the backdrop of a complicated childhood that eventually led to a personal battle with alcoholism.
In a recent interview, Helle shared the journey behind her “Narrative Argument Essay,” a deeply personal piece written for a college composition class that explored her upbringing with alcoholic parents and her own eventual path to sobriety.
“Growing up, you think it’s normal and you never really have to question it until you’re the one in those shoes,” Helle said. “It’s almost like the culture here. It’s what you see.”
Helle’s story is a testament to the “fork in the road” many face in the region. Despite a childhood marked by the trauma of parental substance abuse—a factor that statistically doubles the likelihood of a child developing similar struggles—Helle is now using her experience to fuel a career in human services.
Currently a student at Mount Marty, Helle will graduate this April with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is already putting her education to work at a local human service agency, providing case management for families in need of resources and support. Her background gives her a unique, empathetic lens through which to view the challenges faced by local families.
Helle credits her sobriety to a combination of clinical therapy, the support of a sober partner, and finding community in online sobriety groups. “My reward system was shot,” she admitted, describing the early months of quitting. “But after two months, I realized my mental space was back to where it should be. I don’t need alcohol to come out of my shell anymore.”
As Helle prepares to enter the professional world of counseling and social work, she remains an advocate for early intervention and “nurturing your passions” as a way for youth to avoid the pitfalls of addiction. Her story serves as an optimistic reminder that while history may inform the present, it need not dictate the future of Watertown’s next generation.
