"Almost three years ago our family nightmare started. First was the unexpected and untimely death of my husband. My two sons, Brian (18) and John (16), my daughter Megan (14), and myself were lost. We were a very close family, always doing things together. I tried getting the boys to go to grief groups to help them try to understand and heal, but they just weren't interested. They said they were fine and didn't need any help. They would rather hang around with their friends. Looking back, the friends they were with were not the same ones that I knew. The boys told me that some of them had also lost their fathers, or their fathers didn't have any contact with them, which gave them something in common with my boys.

Everything seemed to be okay. When the boys started not sleeping at night, I just thought it was their grief because I too wasn't sleeping much. When they nearly stopped eating, again, I related it with the fact that I didn't feel much like eating either. But looking back, I can now recognize the symptoms of drug use.

About a year and a half after my husband's death, I found out that they were using drugs. The boys told me it helped them to cope with their dad's death, to take away some of their pain. They were using marijuana and methamphetamine. As a family we went to a family counselor. He felt they were using to minimize their pain and would stop the drugs as they talked about the loss of their dad. It didn't work!

Brian wasn't caring much about anything, including his job or his family life. John was much the same. His senior year in high school was a joke. He was taking classes on law enforcement and was an Explorer for our community police department. This is what he always dreamed of doing with his life. But, that dream may be over for in June of 2003, John was arrested for fifth degree possession of methampheamine.

John knew he had a problem and also knew his future career was in jeopardy, so he placed himself into an inpatient drug treatment center in our area. Our insurance allowed him to be inpatient for 2 weeks, then outpatient, which was once a week for twelve weeks, and three months of aftercare once a week for about an hour or so. He seemed to be doing well with the program. Then he relapsed. I was told by the counselors that it was normal to relapse many times during treatment. What I found out later was that he and many others at the treatment facility had been "using" while they were there. I was very discouraged.

After another relapse John wanted to find a better treatment center. He wanted his life and health back. I called our insurance company and asked for another list of centers. I found one, took him there, then went home to pack his things. Meanwhile John called Brian and told him to have me pick him up. When I got to the center John was very upset because in this "safe house" some of the patients were using! John had been clean about two weeks and didn't want to start using again.

I was at my wit's end and just didn't know what to do. The next day a friend called about a website she had found. It looked good to me so we filled out the form. Later that day I received a call from Jim. We talked at great length and I became really interested in the Narconon program. It really made sense. I realized that John's body was in major need of nutrients that the drugs had eaten up. I had Jim send me the Narconon First Step books on drug free withdrawal. I then ordered the vitamins and the calcium/magnesium drink mix. I did what the book said, and it worked!!!!

John has been clean for almost five months now and Brian around three. My boys look and feel the best they have in years. They both are in control of their lives and are looking forward to their futures. It's really great to look into their clear eyes, which also have their twinkle back! John is still hoping to go into law enforcement this fall and get drugs off the street so others won't have to go through what he went through.

Brian and I are looking into opening a Narconon center here in Minnesota in order to help others get clean and stay clean.

Thanks to Jim and the Narconon First Step program for helping me get my boys back!

Love, Jackie Kratz "

From John: "I have been clean and sober for over 4 months. The Narconon First Step program gave me the life I had before doing drugs. It was easy to do--you take the "Drug Bomb" and drink the "Cal/Mag" at least twice a day. My mom would do the "nerve assists" to help me to relax and take away my discomfort during withdrawal. We would also do some "TRs" to help me to communicate better. The program makes you want to get better and have a happy successful life. It's great to have trust from the people I disappointed so much. I want to thank my mom for all the support she has given me and helping me with the program. I know she can help others to get their life back again."

From Brian: "The Narconon First Step program worked for me. The vitamins and Cal/Mag made me feel better by replacing what the drugs took away. The assists and the communication drills are also very important in becoming whole again. I have my life back better than it used to be. I feel better and have a whole new outlook on life and how it really should be lived. I have respect and trust, something I haven't had from anyone or for myself in a long time. I'm looking forward to my future helping others to go through the Narconon program."

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