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Career Center students hear story of addiction’s hold

PEYTON NEELY The Marietta Times Guest speaker RJ Vied, of Florida, shared the story of how he overcame drug addiction with students at the Washington County Career Center on Thursday.

Two stabbings, one shooting, a seven-day coma and an FBI raid. That was the life of RJ Vied as he battled addition to prescription pills and heroin.

And that wasn’t even enough to make him want to get clean, Vied, 32, told students of the Washington County Career Center on Thursday.

“My first thought process every time something happened is how I was going to get out of that situation and get high again,” Vied said.

Vied, a Delaware native now living in Florida, told the story of his long and ongoing road to recovery at several area schools this week, including Marietta High School, Williamstown High School, Warren High School, Monroe Central High School and Marietta College. He works with Reliance Treatment Centers to voice the severity of drug and alcohol addiction and is a part of the My Coming Home Tour with Reliance Treatment Centers.

“We want to break the silence and let kids know that drug addiction is a disease,” said Vied.

Reliance Treatment Centers, formed in North Palm Beach, Fla., is owned by David Zide, a Marietta native. Zide also shared his stories about addiction Thursday and how members of his family have battled substance abuse.

“I don’t want to see anybody else have to go through what a lot of parents have had to go through,” he said.

Zide said he had a stepdaughter who was an addict as well as his younger brother.

“It’s crazy that all the things I was embarrassed about in life are now my platform for what I want to talk about,” he said. “We aren’t just losing the kids, we are losing the generation to this disease.”

Also part of the tour is Rodney Lavoie Jr., who was a contestant and finalist on season 30 of the popular reality show “Survivor.” Lavoie talked about the death of his sister, who had become addicted to pain pills after a surgery.

“I was in college when I got one of the worst phone calls of my life,” he said as he shared his story at the career center. “All I heard on the other line was ‘She’s dead, Natalie’s dead.'”

Lavoie said his sister’s death drove him to compete on “Survivor” and every time he needed a moment of reassurance, he talked to his sister, whom he referred to as his guardian angel.

Vied said his family nearly got the same devastating call, after he went from being a scholar athlete in high school to dropping out two weeks before graduation.

“Little did I know this was going to be just the beginning of the rest of my life,” he said. “All those years led to me wanting to leave home and hang out with my ‘best friend’ who is now dead.”

He continued to tell his story about moving from 27 different treatment centers to the FBI raiding his home. At one point, he said he was in a seven-day coma and woke up on life support.

Vied has now refocused his life on sharing his story and not only helping others who are suffering from addiction themselves, but serving as an advocate for the families who are affected. He’s now been sober for three years and has a wife and three children.

Career Center student Peyton Angelos, 17, said it was a moving experience for him hearing Vied’s story about his addiction.

“I think it changed our perspectives and views on how serious addiction is,” said Angelos.

Student Mikayla Carpenter, 17, said she personally knows somebody who is recovering from a drug and alcohol addiction.

“This was eye opening and I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I hope the other students did as well and took something from this.”

Faith Weckbacher, 18, said she was inspired by the speakers.

“When you see something like this happen first hand, it’s important to share your story,” she said. “It’s crazy how this happens all around us and you wouldn’t have any idea.”

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