|
|
Jessica Weihrich of Smith Falls
Young girl overcomes her addictions and now her past serves as a potent warning to parents and youth.
Jessica Weihrich was once a straight-A student from a happy middle class home. But somehow, before she even got to high school,
she began skipping class, drinking, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and experimenting with drugs.
Unfortunately, experimentation progressed to addiction and before she knew it, she was struggling with unmanageable addictions
to morphine, heroin and crack. At her lowest point, she weighed 80 pounds, her teeth were rotting and her body was a canvas
of black and blue. She was eating out of garbage cans, sleeping on the streets and trading sex for money.
Jessica tried rehab many times but failed. Finally, her body began showing severe signs of self-abuse. She became afraid
of the streets and wanted help. Jessica called her mom.The next day, Jessica enrolled in a methadone program at a clinic in
Kingston, and with extreme courage, began attending Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings every day.
Jessica recently turned 18. She is clean, sober, and living at home. She is back in school, and in her spare time, she shares
her story everywhere-- from churches to police departments-- with the hope that it will help other kids avoid a similar fate.
Jessica and her mom also host seminars called “Not my Kids” to educate parents and youth about substance abuse.
Back
|
|
Centre for Addiction
