Jose rejoicing in his new life

When Jose Porcia arrived at drug rehabilitation centre, Adele House he was in the grip of a 13-year Ice addiction that had cost him everything.

Jose Porcia – now working hard to help people in the local community.

“I was walking through Sydney Airport to catch my flight to Coffs Harbour to Adele House for the substance abuse program with a garbage bag of clothes that did not even belong to me,” Jose said.

“I looked at everyone else with their luggage and they were happy, and I was so ashamed.”

Within two years of taking up Ice, Jose had drained his savings, lost his job, become homeless and alienated family and friends as he became desperate to do anything to get his hands on the money to fund his habit.

“I fell in love with Ice and the feeling it gave me, so after just three months I was in touch with the dealer, and then I would leave work in the middle of the day to drive from the CBD to Rosehill near Parramatta to spend the entire day there,” Jose told the Daily Telegraph.

“Within six months, I was spending $1000 a week and it was all fine until I ran out of savings.”
“It ruined my life,” he said.

Jose was facing the real prospect of spending the rest of his life in out of jail as he tried to feed his habit with crime.

He was given a chance – the NSW Drug Court gave him the option of entering the rehabilitation program at Adele House.

The Drug Court is a specialist court that provides an alternative to prison for eligible participants with drug dependencies.

He smashed his phone to eliminate the temptation of getting in touch with any dealers or former connections and spent 11 months in rehab at Adele House.

“One day at a time, I got clean, and I did everything they asked me to do, and I never went back to Sydney,” he said.

“The first day I went back to Sydney was to go to the Drug Court in front of Judge Dive on the day of graduation.

Since leaving Adele House seven years ago, which is funded by the PAYCE Foundation and operated by the Salvation Army, Jose has dedicating his life to helping others.

He is now a dedicated soldier at the Salvation Army, Coffs Harbour and he’s been using his lived experience to help with anti-drug campaigns.

He was also on hand when the PAYCE Foundation donated a food trailer to the Salvation Army in Coffs Harbour which is on the road, delivering food to the rising number of homeless people in the area.

Jose, who appreciates the support he received at Adele House, is healthy and happy and looking to continue his work assisting people.

“By sharing if I can help someone else, it is all worth it.”

PAYCE Director Dominic Sullivan said: “Jose is an excellent example of what can be achieved by a person who gets the right help, at the right time, to beat a drug habit.”

“It is wonderful to see that Jose is not only living a good life but making an outstanding contribution to the local community through his work.”