Season 17, Episode 5
Melissa
Age: 32
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Addiction: Crack
Official Synopsis: As a child Melissa endured an unstable and tumultuous upbringing. As a teenager, she found a friend in crack cocaine and began a life of partying and drugs that continued until her son was born. Eager to create a stable life for her child, Melissa went cold turkey and enrolled in nursing school. But the good times did not last long. Melissa fell narrowly short of graduating, and slipped back into a life crack cocaine and heroin abuse. Now, at 32, Melissa sells her body to support her habits and has lost custody of her son. Her family fears that she has nothing left to live for and, without an intervention, will soon be dead.
Date Aired: August 2017
Interventionist: Andrew
this is Melissa deschamps … I’m alive and well… I no longer live in Nanaimo I left to get better…. when it comes to the warrant for my arrest that has been dealt with … I did not go to jail because it was someone trying to pin a drug bust on me but it was dismissed when I was proven innocent … the crime stoppers post is still up because for some reason they will never remove it… it’s been a burden for me when it comes to finding work but I managed …. when it comes to my childhood yes I was sexually abused at a early age… it wasnt mentioned because I did not.mention it… I try to just forget .
now an update .. I am sober … I live in Alberta now and am engaged to an amazing man who is the CEO of two businesses …. I am now 5 years sober and I will never go back to that life…. I have lost 70% of my friends and my.dad.overdoaes right outside my hotel room door … I unfortunately had to find him … Colby is still.not with me only for the.reason.tbat I can’t possibly remove.him for the life he.lived… I didn’t want.to cause more damage to him if I tore him away for what he knows…. he doesn’t speak to me.yet but I have had some communication through videos sent back and forth and I send letters and small gifts in the mail.so at least he can see I’m trying … he’s now 14 and he is the quarter back for the football team at his school which makes me so proud …. I hope that he will allow me to make up for my wrongs one.day but I will not force it .
and about the episode you must understand that I’m order for the episode to be good they manipulate alot of the video footage … most of what you saw was not how it was originally filmed ….. but that’s tv for you .
I appreciate all the positive support, I thank your very much for believing in me..
as for the negative comments all I can do is show u I am trying my hardest and I’m sorry for making you question my behavior… if I could do it all over trust me.i.wojld have never picked up the pipe …
if there is anything anyone wants to know please feel free to message me at sillywilly816@gmail.com.
your truly
Melissa deschamps
Hi Melissa,
I’m so glad to hear your update!! I always held out hope for you and had faith that you could turn your life around. I wish you nothing but the best!!
Ami
Melissa, if it is you, this made me so happy to read. I’m really struggling to kick an addiction — mostly because dealing with rh3 guilt and losses it’s caused feels too scary and painful. What was it that caused you to finally stop? What are some things you do to stay away from it? Are there things about your recovery that you love?
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Glad you’re doing well. I think of your episode often because our mutual friend Dustin, who was on the show in one scene with you, passed. Stay clean, one day at a time! Glad you got out of Nanaimo, I know if I didn’t I would have been in the grave!
I’m sure your son will forgive you and talk to you again,he will understand when he’s older the power addiction has over people.Im glad your doing better.
I notice that there’s a tag here for childhood sexual abuse— but I don’t remember that being mentioned in the episode?