To the outsider he appeared to function normally. But, behind the scenes Verissimo was a full-blown cocaine addict. Once a successful businessman earning six figures, he never dreamed he would be homeless at 42.
Verissimo, known to his peers as “trucker,” grew up in a drug-infested community in the heart of Toronto. His first joint was at nine—a dare. What followed was 26 years of drug abuse and criminal behaviour.
“When I owned my trucking company my cocaine use escalated,” says Verissimo. “The drug kept me hyper and awake for four to five days at a time so I could make my deliveries quicker to their final destination.
“I eventually met a girl, had a son and stayed clean for fives years. Then we separated. My son went with his mother. I was devastated. I couldn’t cope and fell back into my crack cocaine abuse. The drug made me feel like superman—like I could handle anything.
“I started to hang out with shady people. Before long I was involved in criminal activity. This led to a conviction and I was sent to Toronto’s Don Jail. For 4 ½ years I lived in a three-foot wide cell.
“When I was released I was homeless. I had nothing and no one to turn to. Drug addiction tears up families. My family had abandoned me years ago. While in prison I was told of The Salvation Army’s Turning Point, an addiction and rehabilitation program for men. I was familiar with the address. It was a shelter for the homeless in my old neighbourhood.
“I called my sister for help, something I had never done before. I was crying uncontrollably. ‘Please help me, I’m homeless.’ She agreed to take me to the shelter. I was now in a safe environment and on a treatment plan.
“In May 2009 I will be one year clean. I returned to school and am a certified welder. I replaced my bad friends with good ones and every chance I get I direct another addict through The Salvation Army shelter doors. There is hope behind those doors.
“I didn’t set out to be an addict or a criminal. I just wanted a thrill and to feel part of the crowd. I didn’t expect the lifelong misery that followed. I was a low-life when I walked through the doors of The Salvation Army, yet they treated me with dignity and respect.
“The Salvation Army helped me turn my dream of new life into reality.”
May 27th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Verrisimo Araujo,did I spell your last name wrong hope not,we met quite a few years ago in the summer,remember “Tent City”!!! We were very close at one time and I thought the world of you.While you were having a serious drug addiction which made you do certain things I had a undiagnosed mental illness which affected my judgement severely. I was diagnosed six years ago and the treatment is very complicated but It has been working pretty good and has given me some semblance of normalcy. The day the treatment started to work for me I realized my life before was not the real me at all but a shadow of the true me,so I understand what it is like to fight your way back. God has given me a second chance at life because he knows I am sorry for the wrongs that I have done and believe me I have payed heavy for my past. It must be fate to find you on this site as I was looking for a place to do some community service so I could help the less fortunate. I knew one day you would find yourself and I knew you were a good person deep down inside so I am happy to hear you tell some of your story,your a brave man,sincerely Darren