NPORTC Magazine

their spouses and things… In the drug world, you do a lot of things that you wouldn't normally do if you were sober. I try to let them know they're not alone in this battle; they do have somewhere to turn.” Ronald shares his concern about the fentanyl crisis. “They are now starting at fifteen, sixteen years old. It's not only in heroin but also in the crack, marijuana, and E pills. It’s basically in everything.” And you can see the long-term effects. “When you look at them, you ask their age, and they tell me they’re in their 40s, and they look like they're 70.” But they have come to heal, and heal, they do. “We have a group five days a week, and we sit in a circle, and we talk, we laugh, some of them cry, and I tell them, ‘That story that you're telling, you're talking about me because I was there, and I know how it feels.’ And they say, ‘Mr. Ronnie, I know I can always call you.’ And when they’ve completed the three stages of the program? “We have quite a few success stories—we’ve got pictures on the wall of all the classes that graduated from this program, and now they’re living better lives. They keep in contact with me. A lot of them call me, and like I told them, I'm never too busy, even when I'm home. Sometimes you don't have to give a response—sometimes, somebody just wants you to listen. And they answer, ‘Mr. Ronnie, I know I can always call you.’ Ronnie shares the difference he sees as they recover, and he shares with his clients, ‘You went from wearing one pair of jeans all week long to changing clothes every day! Now you’re fresh, you’re shaving, you’re bathing, and you’re sharp!’ We just laugh, and they say, “Mr. Ronnie, you crazy!’”

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