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Three years ago, Randy Duncan didn't have much to live for.
He was addicted to methamphetamine, had no car and was living in a tool shed.
"I was a product of the '60s," he said. "I smoked my first joint with my dad when I was 9. In the '80s it was alcohol and cocaine. In the '90s it was meth."
When he was sure things couldn't get any worse, they quickly did.
Shortly after Duncan's son Vinnie was born on Christmas morning in 2002, his wife was sent to prison for drug-related crimes.
Duncan couldn't take a clean drug test, so Vinnie was placed into foster care.
Then something powerful happened. To this day, Duncan can't quite explain it.
"I didn't know what I was going to do," Duncan said, "I just knew I wanted the baby. I knew the baby needed me."
Duncan, who had been using drugs most of his life, could have been sent to prison for his drug offenses, but a Nevada County Superior Court judge sentenced him to drug rehabilitation instead.
Duncan said the first time he ever prayed in his life was the night before he went to court.
He knew it was his only chance.
"I'm all (Vinnie) has," Duncan said. "I don't get the luxury of a relapse.
He went through the rigors of drug court and daily Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and he regained full custody of his son.
He began to see that other people believed in him. His landlord gave him a break when he was six months late with his rent. The staff at Community Recovery Resources told him he was going to be a success story.
"They helped me realize I wasn't a bad person," he said. "I have a disease."
Duncan has been clean and sober for 19 months now. It hasn't been easy. There have been rough times when he's thought about using drugs again -he broke his knee in April and a woman broke his heart shortly afterwards.
"I felt like using but I remember praying," he said. "I said please don't let me return to that life. I believe in the power of prayer."
Now Duncan does roofing jobs during the day with his older son, 19, and spend his evenings with Vinnie.
His eyes filled with tears. He looked at his son and beamed.
"These rewards are unbelievable," he said.
"I never could have imagined the kind of happiness I have now. It's a euphoric feeling I've been searching for all of my life."
ooo
To contact staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail robynm@theunion.com or call 477-4236.
He was addicted to methamphetamine, had no car and was living in a tool shed.
"I was a product of the '60s," he said. "I smoked my first joint with my dad when I was 9. In the '80s it was alcohol and cocaine. In the '90s it was meth."
When he was sure things couldn't get any worse, they quickly did.
Shortly after Duncan's son Vinnie was born on Christmas morning in 2002, his wife was sent to prison for drug-related crimes.
Duncan couldn't take a clean drug test, so Vinnie was placed into foster care.
Then something powerful happened. To this day, Duncan can't quite explain it.
"I didn't know what I was going to do," Duncan said, "I just knew I wanted the baby. I knew the baby needed me."
Duncan, who had been using drugs most of his life, could have been sent to prison for his drug offenses, but a Nevada County Superior Court judge sentenced him to drug rehabilitation instead.
Duncan said the first time he ever prayed in his life was the night before he went to court.
He knew it was his only chance.
"I'm all (Vinnie) has," Duncan said. "I don't get the luxury of a relapse.
He went through the rigors of drug court and daily Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and he regained full custody of his son.
He began to see that other people believed in him. His landlord gave him a break when he was six months late with his rent. The staff at Community Recovery Resources told him he was going to be a success story.
"They helped me realize I wasn't a bad person," he said. "I have a disease."
Duncan has been clean and sober for 19 months now. It hasn't been easy. There have been rough times when he's thought about using drugs again -he broke his knee in April and a woman broke his heart shortly afterwards.
"I felt like using but I remember praying," he said. "I said please don't let me return to that life. I believe in the power of prayer."
Now Duncan does roofing jobs during the day with his older son, 19, and spend his evenings with Vinnie.
His eyes filled with tears. He looked at his son and beamed.
"These rewards are unbelievable," he said.
"I never could have imagined the kind of happiness I have now. It's a euphoric feeling I've been searching for all of my life."
ooo
To contact staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail robynm@theunion.com or call 477-4236.
