Homeless Man Shares REAL Truth on Opioid Addiction
639,430
Published 2011-08-01
I met Cameron in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. He was homeless in Vancouver's Downtown East Side, and then moved to Fort McMurray, and of course, Cameron's addictions moved with him.
Fort McMurray is experiencing explosive growth and the community seems to be doing its best to catch up to that growth. As in most communities, social services is last to receive needed attention. Cameron says he is going to move back to Vancouver where there is help for his addictions.
About 50 feet to the right of us is a dumpster that Cameron's girlfriend fell asleep in while on drugs. The garbage truck came and took the contents to the dump. His girlfriend was never seen again and is presumed dead. This was a documented tragedy and not something Cameron made up. The couple, while living in a tent, was even featured in a National Geographic photo about the Canadian 'boomtown'.
Cameron wants to stop using drugs, but the drugs that he is addicted to are not easy to kick. He needs help. I hope you watch to the end as his three wishes messed me up.
In this interview Cameron talks about drugs and addictions, lack of solutions, being "dope sick", and even the prison system and his costs to society. This is a very powerful interview that I hope will open the eyes of many.
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Since its launch in November 2008, Invisible People has leveraged the power of video and the massive reach of social media to share the compelling, gritty, and unfiltered stories of homeless people from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. The vlog (video blog) gets up close and personal with veterans, mothers, children, layoff victims and others who have been forced onto the streets by a variety of circumstances. Each week, they’re on InvisiblePeople.tv, and high traffic sites such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, proving to a global audience that while they may often be ignored, they are far from invisible.
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All Comments (21)
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Just an update for everyone Cameron is doing amazing. He finally went to treatment and has 19 months clean. I met him while I was also in recovery and we are now engaged and have a beautiful daughter. It just shows that if you put your all into this fight you can come out on top. I am so proud of him, and anyone else that struggles with this disease, there is a way out, never lose hope. Kyla Gould
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I just found this dude on Facebook and he’s doing really well with a loving family. Just thought I’d give y’all an update ✌️
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It takes balls to be this honest. I cannot believe some posters are hating on this guy. Anyone can end up homeless and addicted to drugs; it is NOT a planned life scenario...
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Hey all you haters...Cameron is still clean and has a life he could never imagine, with two beautiful kids so the next time you wanna wish ill upon someone who has suffered in their life from trauma, and dealt with a horrible drug addiction, think twice. Don't judge people until you have been in their shoes, and God forbid you ever have to. If you don't understand addiction then why do you find the need to comment on raw videos about it? Wishing my fiance dead? Thinking he left Janice in the dumpster to die? You are sick, heartless people. And for everyone that has shown support and love for this video, bless you. You are all the reason that me and Cameron are still clean to this day. It takes support, love and compassion from people to help see the good in yourself. Getting clean is alot of work but it is possible and it is worth it! <3
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I’m 14 years clean of Heroin and Crack and my name’s also Cameron 😅✌🏼
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"Become a son, a brother, an uncle." That one hit me.
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Im not a heroin addict but this is motivating, been 3 weeks clean off xanax and counting
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This was me literally a year ago with my fiancé on the streets of Chattanooga TN living in my Ford Taurus stealing and pan handling every day to support two heroin & eventually fentanyl addictions. I was addicted to just about everything you can name & on and off the streets for 8 years. Today we are both a year sober, he works full time, and I’m a stay at home mom to our now 2 month old baby girl in Scranton PA. I never thought I could be sober for a day let alone a year and now life is beautiful, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Praying for everyone still struggling! I love what you guys do it’s a beautiful thing ❤️❤️
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Been clean for 28 years now, feels really good.
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this guy is well spoken
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These interviews are invaluable! Giving a voice to the unheard can change a lot.
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I know nothing about homelessness. One factor has become apparent from watching these videos. 1.) If you're a man, people care a lot less. It's horrific, especially when it deals with veterans. I'm 36, was both a combat medic and flight medic in the Army for 8 years. I was NEVER in battle. However, I've witnessed a plethora of soldiers who have sustained the rigors of war where cortisol is constantly eating your health away due to the dangers/stresses of combat. I've had to treat the damaged minds/bodies of soldiers. While the word PTSD is thrown a lot today, to really see it's full manifestations on the physical/psychological deterioration of soldiers is heart breaking. Men, of all people, have been conditioned by society to "take it". In doing so, they shut themselves in... they don't dare ask for help. They literally destroy themselves via drug addiction, isolation and in many cases killing themselves, violently, with a gun straight to the head. Conditioned apathy for their own lives. 2.) The institutional programs aren't set up to truly get people off the streets. They're there to keep people with jobs. I'm humbled to watch these videos. Every time, it makes realize how much I have to be grateful for.
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Makes sense that he got clean....this guy is very smart......not one wasted word or thought in that interview. He conveyed it with such clarity...This is the hidden shame of our society. Not having the resources to help addicts get clean and then putting shame and blame on them. He was already helping people with his words in that interview. God love him.
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Wow. Such passion and energy. So happy to know Cameron is now clean and happy. Never give up the fight.
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Thank you for giving these people a voice. It's really important.
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working in a jail for 34 years has made me well aware of how bad addiction is
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This is one of the most important channels Iv'e ever subbed into. Great job brother
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Once again I really appreciate this channel for what it does. I fully admit I would have been very judgmental towards this man, writing him off as an addict and a thief and looking down on him. But this channel always shows how we are all the same, and all these people want is a normal life with some love and a bit of dignity. His three wishes said it all. I often think of how I could easily have ended up in this same situation had my life gone differently.
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Cameron is so articulate and truly commendable, i wish him a trillion blessings. I wish many more people would watch this, people don't understand the struggle addiction creates. Treatment centers are needed ...please pass this on
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Tks for this channel, giving the opportunity to speak about the real things.
