Pubdate: Fri, 21 Jul 2006
Source: Richmond News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.richmond-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244
Author: Michelle Hopkins
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

ADDICT GIVES BACK

Strung out, Matthew Jacques looked at the face staring  back at him 
in the mirror.

He resembles a skid row bum, not a man living in a  million dollar house.

It took a month-long binge consisting of cocaine,  crack, crystal 
meth, alcohol and other hard drugs, to  get the 34-year-old to seek help.

"My wife (ex now) was away in Europe for a month and  one night I 
stole my brother-in-law's truck to meet a  dealer," recalls Jacques. 
"Two days later my  father-in-law confronted me and I put myself in a 
treatment centre."

The road to alcohol and drug addiction started early in  Jacques' 
life. He grew up an "Airforce brat" - his dad  moving the family 
several times across the country.

"I started huffing Pam cooking oil at the age of nine,"  says the 
Richmond Honda salesman, who dubs himself  Miracle Matt. "I was 
insecure and even though my  parents were supportive, great parents I 
was shy and  always tried very hard to have everyone like me.

"From Pam I went to alcohol at 11, stealing my parents  booze and by 
16 I was hooked on weed and any other drug  I could get my hands on."

The death of his best friend Paul at the age of 16  after a night of 
binge drinking "made me spiral down."  (Ironically, Paul was killed 
by a drunk driver when he  drunkenly walked onto a dark road).

Jacques dove into self pity and loathing.

"I was really angry, I felt dead and I took myself to a  point of no 
return," says Jacques, adding he came from  a very loving family. "I 
crossed the moral line and  every day was hell in my head."

Today, sober for more than two years, Jacques is making amends.

He is raising money for Canucks for Kids, bringing his  message of 
drug and alcohol addiction to students at  schools across the Lower 
Mainland. He also sponsors  addicts trying to get clean. He's gone a 
step further  by committing five per cent of his car sales to his 
nonprofit organization, The Miracle Matt Foundation -  Jacques came 
up with Miracle Matt because he truly  believes "it's a miracle I'm 
still alive today."

"I give the money to Canucks for Kids fund," says  Jacques. "I'm 
getting some corporate sponsorship to  match what I give."

So far, he's handed the Canucks for Kids about $2500  and this week 
is handing another $1,000, but he wants  to raise much, much more.

"Hopefully this year, I will be able to raise $10,000  and the sky's 
the limit for the years to come," says  Jacques, who looks the 
picture of health. "I'm hoping  to sell 50/50 tickets at the Canucks 
games this coming  year on my stilts."

Stilts, you ask? Yes, Jacques struts around on his  stilts and dons a 
Canucks jersey.

"It's simply a way to have people recognizes me,' says Jacques.

When Jacques speaks to students (from grades four to  12), his 
message is simple: "You have a choice, to do  or not to do."

Besides telling his harrowing story of addiction, he  tells them 
what's out there, although he adds: "most  kids already know what 
drugs are available."

"Drugs know no social boundaries, I recently met with a  heart 
surgeon who's addicted to cocaine,' says Jacques.

As far as his recovery goes, Jacques says it's a daily  "spiritual 
maintenance."

"I still crave drugs but I have tools and people I can  reach out to 
for help... I have a guaranteed antidote,'  he quips.

Teachers interested in having Miracle Matt speaks to  their students, 
can reach him at   ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman