Get assistance before it's too late

To the editor:

I am currently an inmate at Westville Correctional Facility.

I have been serving this sentence since 2006. I am serving 40 years for dealing in a Schedule II controlled substance. It was a Class A felony for nine pills — “perks,” Percocet.

I became addicted to painkillers in late 2005. I was mixing them and was woken up a couple of times by my girlfriend because I stopped breathing. I got mad at her, but I am thankful for it today.

I was moved by Brianna’s Hope. I’ll tell you why.

In June 2014, I received a letter from my cousin, who was one of Brianna DiBattiste’s friends. She sent me the flyer and it had numerous pictures of her on it. I called my cousin and said it was sad. She said she was upset and in the middle of something, call back in 10 minutes.

“Getting ready to use?” I asked.

She responded with giggles.

You need to get off of that crap. Look what it has done. You’re gonna either kill yourself or lose everything and have nothing.

It moves me that this beautiful girl is still remembered today and I hope that people realize that drugs, no matter who you are, what your are or who or what you look like, are the devil. I wished that I could be at Jay County High School for the addicts and all to come together. But if I can get my sentence modification, I will be an advocate for rehabilitation.

I strongly believe in getting into recovery, and it only works if you want it to. If you are a nuisance in the community and a dealer and you are spreading the poison in the community then the judicial system should hit you hard. (The first time, so there won’t be a next time.)

But if you are an addict and abuser, prison is the last place for them. I see it every day. You can get it in here just as easy, if not easier, than out in the world. If you come to prison, you’ve got two choices. Either you want treatment and mean it, go to the therapeutic community program or the substance abuse program. But drugs are here. I can go get suboxone, heroin, cocaine, meth or marijuana.

So, either get honest treatment or not.

To the families reading this, if your family member is in prison and if they are wanting you to wire money or get them a Paypal or Western Union, you might want to think about it for a second because there is a chance it is for drugs.

You love them and want them to be OK. But ask them to be honest with you, and if you have done it and they want it still, don’t give in. Help them change and only put that money on their books. This really is the only way to help them stop in here.

I have been clean and sober now for 8.5 years. I’m about to finish the therapeutic community program and I am happy to be clean and hope other addicts can relate.

I’ve been away since I was 27. Now I’m 38. For nine pills.

I’m changed, and if I can do it, so can you.

To those who are locked up and need help, get it before it’s too late.

Nathan W. Romine

Westville