Pubdate: Fri, 04 Mar 2005 Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN) Copyright: 2005 The Leader-Post Ltd. Contact: http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361 Author: Tim Switzer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DAD WARNS OF DRUG ABUSE DANGERS Motivational speaker John Watson doesn't do his job only to teach children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, it's also to help himself heal and stay connected with his son. On Feb. 27, 2004 John and his wife Wanda were startled by a morning phone call to tell them their son, 20-year-old Jimmy Dean, had fallen into an ecstasy-induced coma. Eight hours later, Jimmy Dean passed away because of swelling to the brain. Now, just over a year later, Watson has spent the last seven months teaching kids about the dangers of addictions -- particularly those of alcohol, ecstasy and crystal methamphetamine. "I decided on my birthday last year that I couldn't live without Jimmy Dean unless I was going to do something to help him. How could I work with him? How could I keep him close?" said Watson before speaking to students at the Nakoda Oyade Education Centre (NOEC) on the Carry the Kettle First Nation. "There isn't anything else you can do in life that would be more rewarding than work with your child that you have lost. I keep him close to me everyday. When I travel sometimes I'll stop and I'll cry and be lonesome and after that, I'm OK, I'm ready to go on. "It's been a really difficult journey for me so far but it seems to be getting better," he continued. "Because now I realize I'm not the only one. There's a lot of other people out there working with crystal meth and ecstasy and realizing that our children are dying from it." Watson spoke to students and other visitors at NOEC's crystal meth and addictive substances seminar, "Bright Future . . . Positive Choices." School principal Peter Moreau said while there's little drug activity in his school, crystal meth's presence in the province prompted him to organize the event. "I had seen crystal meth starting to edge into the northwest part of the province in my position last year and I would rather take a preventative approach than a role of having to deal with the problems that arise from the drug," he said. Thursday's presentation also featured Saskatoon Northwest MLA Ted Merriman whose daughter Kelly is a recovering alcoholic and crystal meth addict. Katie Saulteaux, an 11-year-old Grade 6 student at the school, said she was convinced to stay away from drugs after listening to Watson and Merriman speak. "I didn't know much about it but after listening to them it's really bad and people shouldn't do it," she said. Eighteen-year-old Anthony Eashappie said hearing from people like Watson makes the message louder. "It comes across more to me when someone has went through it," he explained. "It's really devastating and you know you've got to keep away from that stuff when that kind of stuff happens to other people. It can happen and is has happened." Watson said with reactions from young people like that he plans to keep doing this with his son alongside. "Some of them come right up to you in tears saying, 'Thank you. You must be a good strong dad to come and talk for your son here,'" he said. "When you have lost a son that you loved, that you enjoyed being with -- when that's taken from you by drugs, you need to take a second look at life and what's your purpose here. I think my purpose -- when I sobered up 24 years ago I made my prayer to work with young people and it is answered today." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth