Breaking a Lease: Tenant Refused to Pay or Leave House and Left Me to Default on My Loans

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Georgia.

My question involves a mortgage in the state of: NEW YORK AND GEORGIA

I have a house in Georgia that I rented out to a lady with her daughter and grandson in May 2010. After that I started medical school and so do not have any income since then. Within months, I was problems collecting rents from my tenants, trying to put them on payment plans, paying the mortgage out of my own pocket as long as I could. Once they stopped answering my calls, I went to go see them and they refused to open the door even when I visited. I sent them an eviction letter, SEVERAL e-mails and they never replied. Frustrated and way too busy with school, I just gave up contacted them and defaulted on my house payments. My credit was hurt from my dad committing fraud with me so I figured another foreclosure is not going make a difference. I believe they tenants eventually abandoned the house and never gave my my keys back even. I have no access to the house and it's in the auction process. I'm thinking of trying to get it open, fix it up and short sale it to maybe try to repair my credit now. Would I be able to sue my old tenants for abandoning the property without ever paying me the rent? I don’t have their social security numbers (did not write them on the lease), but I could probably locate them to serve them. I don't know how much I could get out of them, but I'd like to try if I have a shot.

I understand these are long shots but I’m looking for some VERY creative advice on 1) getting out of this mess and 2) repairing my credit 3) recovering any of the damages I’ve suffered.

PLEASE HELP ME. I'm in medical school right now, getting married in 4 months and want to fix all this before I start my new life.