ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Brittnie ‘Punky’ Aguirre was someone that the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) and the Albuquerque Community Safety team knew when she was living on the streets. After years of struggling with addiction, her life has turned around thanks to one Community Safety responder who never gave up on her.
“I want to be known as a thriver, not so much a survivor, because surviving makes me feel like I’m still in it. But now I’m thriving; I’m thriving in life,” she said. Punky was once someone who struggled with substance abuse, even while trying to help others through outreach work. “I went from having everything, a vehicle, a home, a great career. I was helping people who, you know, had lost hope and faith in life itself and others, and I became the other side of the coin.”
Things changed when she met Brooklyn Woods from the Albuquerque Community Safety Department. Brooklyn recalled, “She had been bruised up, and I think that’s what brought attention to her.”
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After multiple attempts to help Punky, Woods noted that she eventually accepted the support. “So when I got the, the next time I thought I was gonna hear Punky’s name, I didn’t think it would be under good circumstances. So when I got that letter and hearing how well she was doing, just reminded me of how special this job is,” Brooklyn shared…