Former addict turns life around, launches support programme for recovery

What began as a childhood of BMX bikes and mischief in Secunda spiralled into years of addiction, pain, and ultimately redemption.

Today, his journey is a beacon of hope to those who feel lost beyond hope.

Edwin Haasbroek was born on March 28, 1982, in Evander Hospital and grew up in Secunda with two younger brothers.

“We were a team. Sure, we fought, especially in my room, but our parents would have done anything for us,” he recalls.

His parents, who married in 1981, moved to Secunda shortly before he was born and built a strong, close-knit family.

Childhood was filled with laughter, scrapes from BMX races, sneaking grapes from neighbours’ yards, and late-night Freddy Krueger movies.

“I had everything I needed, except identity,” he said.

That silent struggle planted seeds of self-doubt that later took root in dangerous ways.

By 1998, still in high school, he began experimenting with drugs and alcohol.

“I was drawn to the idea of not being myself. I hated my height, my skin tone, my pimples, and drugs made me feel as if I could escape all of that, and maybe I could like myself.”

What began with ecstasy and alcohol in clubs and social settings eventually descended into cocaine and crystal meth – alone, cold, and afraid on the streets of Johannesburg and Durban.

“The city swallowed me, and somehow I loved it. There, I didn’t feel insecure. No one cared how tall you were or how dark your skin was. At night, everyone is the same.”

But beneath that illusion of invincibility, Edwin was falling apart.

“I felt like a demon. Like a ghost. I had power, but I also felt like a failure. I thought about ending it constantly. I carry those scars with me still.”

In 2012, after years of spiralling in and out of drug abuse, the first glimmer of recovery came, though he admits he didn’t take it seriously at first.

“I was sent to rehab centres by employers, the police, and my family. I went to keep the peace. Deep down, I was still in love with the drugs.”

Then, in 2015, rock bottom hit.

“I was homeless. Dying. My family had reported me missing. I made a terrified call to my brother and said I needed help.”

Edwin entered his final treatment programme, where he had to confront the man staring back at him in the mirror.

“I hated that guy.”

But change was possible. And it happened.

Today, he is 10 years clean and sober. He has a wife and two little dachshunds that bring him daily joy. He lost his father in 2023 and his brother in May 2024.

“Both good enough reasons to relapse,” he admits, “but I won’t. I’m not going back,” he told himself repeatedly.
In 2017, Edwin began studying to become an addiction counsellor.

By 2021, he was qualified and had launched his own company, Reintegrate Lifestyle and Development, with a goal to support people not only during rehab, but especially afterward, when the real work begins.

“Addiction was not my problem; it was my answer. People don’t see the pain behind addiction. But I do. At Reintegrate, we deal with the pain, not just the symptoms,” he said.

Reintegrate offers a structured three-phase programme that bridges the gap between treatment and real life.

Reset: Routine, structure, and medical/psychological intake

Rebuild: Life skills, vocational exposure, and mentorship

Reintegration: CV creation, job readiness, entrepreneurship, and family reconnection.

They helped homeless individuals start businesses, fathers reunite with their children, and young people rediscover self-worth.

“Every new admission reminds me how easily my story could have ended differently, and how powerfully change can begin.”

He added, “I don’t want to be seen as the guy who was once in a holding cell. I was never sentenced or jailed, but have seen enough to know that real change doesn’t happen behind bars. It happens with support, truth, and purpose.”

“Today, my dream is simple – To help others, the way I was helped,” Edwin added.

“There is hope, more than you can imagine. You are not too broken or too far gone. The only thing standing between you and the life you were meant to live is you.”

Reintegrate Lifestyle and Development can help those struggling with addiction take the first step. It is not a rehab or halfway house, but a bridge back to life.

Visit www.reintegratelifestyle.co.za or follow them on Facebook.