Sunday School Teacher Turned Drug Addict-Nadine

Quick Overview

Nadine, a former Sunday school teacher from Skid Row, Los Angeles, recounts her descent into drug addiction, starting with prescription pills at age 13, progressing to methamphetamine, and eventually heroin, leading to the loss of custody of her four daughters and her current life on the streets, illustrating the pervasive nature of addiction where survival often means repeating destructive patterns.

Key Points: Nadine, originally from Boston, Massachusetts, was abducted by her mother's acquaintance at age ten, leading to three years of constant travel across the US to evade her abusive father. She started drinking at 13, then tried crystal meth at 14, and began using heroin around age 30, which she credits with keeping her awake enough to maintain her drug use. Nadine was a Sunday school teacher and substitute preschool teacher before her addiction escalated, noting that her father was very strict, while her mother was an alcoholic. After being kicked out of Nevada for six months for charges including a home invasion at age 14, she eventually moved back to Boston, though her father still controlled her life. The greatest lesson she learned is that addiction makes it hard to function normally, leading many addicts to do 'literally anything' to survive, even if it means repeating destructive patterns. Nadine currently lives on the streets of Skid Row, Los Angeles, with her youngest daughter being 16, and she has not seen her mother in seven years. She fears returning to mainstream society because she knows the constant struggle and temptation (like fentanyl) makes it hard to maintain sobriety.

Context: This video segment is an interview with Nadine, a woman living on Skid Row in Los Angeles, who shares her difficult life journey, titled 'Sunday School Teacher Turned Drug Addict.' The interview, conducted by Mark Laita for 'Soft White Underbelly,' focuses on the origins of her addiction, the impact of her abusive father, the loss of her children, and the harsh realities of street life while struggling with dependency.