Light at the end of the tunnel for recovering drug addict

Former Benoni resident Ashon Francis (28) is a recovering drug addict who managed to turn his life around.

In light of the SANCA Drug Awareness Week starting on June 24, Francis shared his story.

Francis started drinking alcohol in the early years of primary school.

When he was about 13-years-old he began smoking dagga.

He said curiosity was the reasoning behind him starting drugs.

“There’s always been relatives intoxicated around me while I was growing up and that glorified certain behaviours and created certain perceptions within me,” he said.

“I thought in order to have fun, be bold, express and deal with feelings, to celebrate or mourn you needed to be intoxicated.”

“I just followed the formula and the pathway paved before me.”

Francis lists dagga, meth and crack as the drugs that he was addicted to.

The turning point in his life was when he was going through a drug-induced psychosis and planning to end his life.

“I had a mental and emotional breakdown, I cried for weeks, begging my family to allow me to end my life because I felt so lost, scared and so far from reality,” he said.

“Through this process, I had no choice but to join Mighty Wings Life Centre (MWLC) which my mum, sisters and other family members had started attending due to my drug abuse.”

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By his family going to MWLC, they learnt the ins and outs of both sides.

“They learnt what I was doing as an addict, where my path was leading me and what they needed to do as family members,” he said. Francis’ addiction had a negative effect on the relationships he had with the people in his life.

“I grew distant and slowly prioritised drugs and ‘friends’ over family,” he said.

“When I was home and around family it was hardly ever pleasant. I was ugly, rude and disrespectful. All my aggressive and arrogant outbursts really traumatised my sisters and other family members.”

He was dishonest to his girlfriend, with whom he describes as having had a co-dependent and unhealthy relationship even though the love was real.

Through his journey with Mighty Wings, life has changed for Francis in more ways than one.

After completing a one-year programme and doing almost every course that Mighty Wings had to offer, his life changed for the better.

“I have a great relationship with my mother; my sisters are my greatest source of laughter, my then girlfriend is now my wife and best friend and we have a beautiful marriage and are surrounded by the best form of support.”

Now living a full life, Francis receives invites to events where he shares his story of how God changed his life.

“I get to impact and influence the youth which in our day and age is so needed,” he said.

“I am truly humbled and deeply grateful.”

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