Featured Story: Steered Straight’s, Colin O’Brien
Colin thought it was all “fun and games” to start doing drugs when he was 12… until someone got hurt.
Colin O’Brien was born into a loving, “well to do” family. By the time he was in junior high, he had a zest for sports. In the midst of becoming a star athlete, he started abusing prescription medications, at age 13. By the time he was 15, the only thing he was closer to “GRADUATING,” was LIFE, once he became addicted to heroin. Colin made an awful decision one night, at age 16. By night’s end, he ended up overdosing, and left for dead, on his own front steps.
Ultimately, Colin was kicked out of high school. In 2013, Colin made another awful decision – he got behind the wheel, under the influence. As Colin was under arrest, his best friend was being rushed to the hospital. Colin’s mom pleaded with him, to go into a rehab saying, “You’re going to die living the life you’re living; I don’t want to bury my son.” After 5 and a half months of rehab, he was finally able to graduate high school.
On his road to recovery, Colin has lost 27 people to addiction, but he is eternally grateful to not have become number 28. By the time he was 17, he was pronounced dead, more than once.
Colin suffers from PTSD, and short term memory loss. From his strength within, along with his everlasting support system (his mom and coach, to name a couple), he doesn’t let the outcome of his drug addiction get the better of him. Colin believes people will change, and he knows he won’t go back to the life of addiction that he once lived.
Since leaving rehab, Colin’s path of righteousness started when Michael DeLeon brought him into the Steered Straight organization. Colin speaks to children, in schools all over, sharing his story with them. He does this, so he can make sure they don’t grow up to become who he used to be.
Colin’s Message: “I don’t want to stop at JUST ONE kid, I want to make sure I’m helping all of the kids I talk to.”
Colin’s Most Rewarding Moment: “When a kid thanks me, it’s the best feeling – the best high I ever had.”
By: Jessica Osborn, Steered Straight