Tyler has Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  From the age of 9 through 14, Tyler was prescribed up to 18 pills a day for help supressing tics. He was highly overmedicated, lethargic and overweight from the medications. School life was difficult and Tyler was unable to concentrate. He had a difficult time making friends and could not participate well in sports because of the weight. Life was horrible for him during this period when he should have been enjoying being a kid.

I had to do something and took him to Baltimore, MD. Physicians at Johns Hopkins suggested we wean Tyler off all the medications.  Within one year, he lost 100 lbs, the tics decreased and Tyler began making friends. This should have been a great thing but Tyler made the wrong friends and began experimenting with marijuana, then taking pills, then crushing and snorting pills and last shooting them up. He recently said to me  "Mom, I don't know how to be happy without a buzz. It doesn't matter what I take as long as it gives be a buzz". I firmly believe Tyler's addiction stems from his Tourette's, OCD and the prescribed meds he took as a teenager.

I need your help; 5000 people $1.00; 1000 people $5.00; any donation helps this cause.  A non-profit Faith Based recovery program here in Tennessee has agreed to accept Tyler into their recovery center. He will live on site for one year receiving spiritual guidance, mentoring and lastiing freedom from drug addiction by developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This program will keep Tyler from going to prison. Tyler has made many wrong choices by choosing to use drugs and sell drugs to support his habit but he is not a danger to society and prison cannot fix drug addiction. Let's all help Tyler learn to be happy without a buzz. Our God is a big God and He CAN change Tyler.

You can see the Center's website at: hopecm.com