RECOVERING ADDICT GETS HELP TO START OVER

Joseph is good-looking , well groomed and speaks with an accent that hints
of his education at a Midwestern university. When he moves, his well-toned
biceps show beneath the sleeves of his T-shirt. He has been a middle school
teacher, a coach and has always loved sports and working with kids.

Joseph, 39, is also an alcoholic and a crack addict who has engaged in
shoplifting and other petty crimes to support his habit.

But he has always stayed one step ahead of trouble, resigning from teaching
positions before anyone had any proof of his extracurricular activities.

He rarely showed up at work drunk or high, he said. "My off-time was my
enemy. I hid that from everyone."

Joseph, who asked that his real name not be used for this story, was born
in North Carolina. An Army brat, his father's career took him all over the
United States and overseas, and Joseph went to at least 10 different
schools. As early as age 14, he was sneaking drinks from his parents' store
of liquor.

His parents knew about his drinking, but rather than finding help for him,
"they'd just yell," he said.

Joseph's dream was to play college football. Despite his drinking problem,
he had a B average, but he blew off his SATs. After graduation, he "messed
around for a while" and then spent four years in the National Guard. He
joined the Army for four years and served during the first Gulf War.

He smoked crack once while he was in service but didn't become a regular
user until he was discharged.

"I tried it, and I liked it. You want more and more of it. You chase it
eight hours a day, just like it was a job."

After doing odd jobs for a few years, he managed to earn an undergraduate
degree in physical education and took two teaching positions in North
Carolina, lying about his drug use on his applications and quitting both
jobs because "I just didn't care."

At times, Joseph wanted to kick his habit. In 1997, he went through an
outpatient program in North Carolina, but it didn't help.

In 2001, he went to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem hoping to
do better with an inpatient program, but after completing the program, he
returned to North Carolina and his old habits.

In August, he returned to Salem to give the program another try.

"I came back because of the respect I'd lost. I knew I was out of control.
I felt like a zombie some days." He also wanted to be available for his
daughter from a failed marriage, who is now 17.

But before he could complete the program, he was kicked out for using
again. Late one night shortly afterward, Joseph stumbled into Carilion
Roanoke Community Hospital's emergency room looking for help.

"I'd just about had it. I was wishing I'd get hit by a car," he said.

A nurse there asked him if he really wanted to beat his habit. This time,
he did.

She referred him to a private inpatient program, and the changes he wanted
to make began to happen.

By October, he was ready to be discharged to a group home but lacked the
money for the down payment and his first month's rent.

Caseworkers at the program sent him to Roanoke Area Ministries. The
agency's Emergency Financial Assistance program, which is supported by The
Roanoke Times' Good Neighbors Fund, provides one-time help to those who
need a little boost to keep from becoming homeless.

Caseworkers at RAM were able to give Joseph a grant for part of his
expenses and called around to other charities to make up the rest.

Openings at the group home are few and far between, and Joseph is
determined to make the best of this opportunity. He plans to stay in
Roanoke as long as he can and attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics
Anonymous meetings regularly.

"I think this is going to work. I need some structure. I'm becoming more
aware of the character defects" that led to the drug abuse, he said.

Joseph has also joined a church. Although he has always been religious,
this time, "I'm being a lot more open-minded. I'm turning my will over to God."

When he is clean and sober, he hopes to return to teaching and coaching,
and wants to help inner-city children avoid drugs. "If I can just help one
person, that would be enough," he said. "I believe everyone should be
forgiven and given another chance."

There is one more thing he'd like to do. Joseph never noticed the name of
the nurse who helped him out on that night in the emergency room. Before he
leaves the Roanoke area, Joseph would like to thank her.

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