OLEAN, N.Y. — One teen who took care of his younger sister for years while his mother was high on drugs eventually began “smoking weed” himself to ease his depression and, in turn, became an addict.
The teenager, as well as two other youngsters, shared stories of their drug and alcohol addiction as well as their recoveries, during a Kids Escaping Drugs presentation Thursday at the Epic Church in Olean. The church, located in the former Ivers J. Norton school on West Henley Street, also houses the Erie One BOCES program. BOCES students from school districts that included Olean and Allegany-Limestone, attended the presentation.
Allegany-Limestone school resource officer Deputy Devine Leacock, organized the program conducted by John Bennett of the Face 2 Face community education program in West Seneca.
Leacock told the teenagers in attendance that he hopes the program will help them and other young people avoid alcohol and drugs.
“When I worked in the city of Salamanca (for law enforcement), I got calls for two unresponsive people,” Leacock recalled. “It opened my eyes a lot seeing kids your age laying out, not breathing and blue-faced. I had to bring them back” and revive them.
Bennett, an early interventionist with Face 2 Face, offers the presentations at schools in the region free of charge. The program includes testimonials from young people who are currently in recovery or recently graduated from a rehabilitation program.
A teenager from the program, who saw his divorced mother smoke pot regularly, said he started smoking marijuana at a young age and soon didn’t care about school anymore. The boy eventually took prescription drugs and dated a girl who shot up with heroin. He also got into a fight with his mother, who held a pair of scissors to his throat. During a drunken spree, he smashed his mother’s car into a Greyhound bus filled with passengers. This was followed by a week in jail, and a long stay in a rehabilitation center.
“I’ve been there since Sept. 22 … and everybody is really proud that I’m getting help now. I realize I can’t do drugs anymore,” the teen admitted, “My (19th) birthday is on Sunday and I’m going to have to spend it in rehab. And that’s because of my choices, nobody did it but me. One thing they teach you is to take responsibility for your choices.”
A 19-year-old woman, now in her first year of college, said rehabilitation also helped her fight her addictions. The woman said she had a good childhood, and did well in school and sports until her parents divorced. Eventually, she fell into drugs and alcohol while in high school, stopped playing sports and was sexually abused. During one summer vacation, drinking became her top priority. The following school year including drinking before and after school and taking her mother’s pain killers between classes. After going to an outpatient facility, which was not successful, she was admitted to a rehab facility in December of 2013. She stayed for six months and after she was discharged, finished her two remaining years of high school.
“I just celebrated three years of sobriety and finished my first semester of college,” the girl said to the applause of the other youngsters. She regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and stays in touch with others in that program. “The life I live now is better than I can imagine.”
The woman said telling her story to groups of teenagers is cathartic for her.
“I hope you guys get something out of this,” she said.
The youngest of the speakers was a 16-year-old boy who is currently in rehab and doing well with his recovery. Raised by his mother, the boy said the death of a young childhood friend led to deep-set depression when he was just 12. When friends offered him marijuana, he didn’t refuse.
“After my friend’s death, I didn’t laugh, but (marijuana) made me laugh,” he said. In the years that followed, the boy continued to use marijuana and drank alcohol that he stole from his mother. The boy said he unsuccessfully tried to take his own life when a second friend was killed in a drive-by shooting. He continued on with drug abuse until a retired police officer helped him get into rehab. After a few more setbacks, the boy is in his second round of rehab and doing better.
“I’ve been sober 102 days, I’m a junior in high school and I’m going to get through it,” the boy said with determination.
Bennett said he will provide the free presentations to school districts in the area, as well as to their staff. The organization will also provide the program, free of charge, to area businesses and their employees. For more information contact Bennett by email at jbennett@ked.org or call (716) 827-9462, Ext. 318.
