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News (Media Awareness Project) - CN SN: Dad Warns Of Drug Abuse Dangers
Title:CN SN: Dad Warns Of Drug Abuse Dangers
Published On:2005-03-04
Source:Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Fetched On:2008-08-20 18:24:23
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."
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