She outsmarted the streets and beat her drug addiction
After losing faith in rehab, she started going to church, fell on her knees and asked God to help her.
Michelle Cromhout (27), a recovering drug addict and former homeless person who grew up in Van Riebeeck Park, marked November 5 as her first year of being drug-free.
“I’ve been all over the show,” she said. She ventured to Kempton Park West, Terenure and Edleen and lived on and off the streets after dropping out of school in Grade Nine.
She now works in administration, longing to build a career and inspire the homeless in Kempton Park to get back on their feet.
Michelle said she started using drugs at a young age. “I started smoking dagga when I was 12. At the age of 14, I was already using heavier drugs.”
She grew up with a single mom as her father shot himself when she was two years old.
“In the beginning my relationship with my mom wasn’t good, as I felt she didn’t care. I felt neglected. I gave her every reason to be the mother she was because I stole from her.
“I went to rehab after a suicide attempt and turned 18 while I was there. Since then our relationship has been amazing – she’s always been there for me.”
“I learned to smoke crystal meth in rehab. I had broken out for a day with someone who had just left rehab, while I was supposed to go work at a church.”
After six months in rehab, she smoked dagga on her first day out and went off with a boyfriend and started using drugs again.
“I ended up on the streets, pregnant with my second child, when I was 21. I had been living with the child’s father and his mother, who was also an addict.
“Prior to our break-up, I started gambling. I met this girl who eventually moved in with us. One thing led to another and I started dating her.”
They dated for five years and they became homeless together. She said she didn’t think of routine survival or short-term aspirations while living on the street.
“When you’re on drugs you only think of yourself and your next fix. We’d ask for money or did shopping/slip fraud. That was before we started stealing.
“We were caught and arrested. I was released after three weeks on a suspended sentence. Two and a half years later, we were caught stealing on camera. I was arrested again and convicted. I was released after serving a month in prison.”
She eventually moved back in with her mother, but later moved in with another acquaintance. Here her daughter was taken away by child welfare and put in foster care. Her daughter’s guardian, Sharon*, helped Michelle to find a job and turn her life around.
Sharon had been helping girls on the streets for eight years. Michelle’s daughter is now six, and her son, who lives with his father, is eight.
Michelle got clean within a year of leaving the streets, without the help of rehab. She simply decided not to live that life any longer and found God.
“I started going to church and I just fell on my knees one day and asked God to help me, and He did. I put my faith in God and look where I am today.”
Sharon said Michelle has a relationship with a lot of the other women whom she helps. “She’s an inspiration to them and they look up to her. When they’re in trouble, Michelle is the first one they call,” said Sharon.
Michelle said she wanted to be an inspiration and help other homeless people get back on their feet.
What does 2020 hold for Michelle?
“In the new year we’re working towards catching up with my schooling so I’ll have matric. And also getting my driver’s licence.”
*Name has been changed for purpose of anonymity.
