TEEN TRUTH LIVE: DRUGS & ALCOHOL in San Diego

August 17th, 2010

Poway High School students heard a candid presentation Friday from a former addict about how his addiction began with “just a few beers” during his high school days.

Michael Sarich, 31, with the nonprofit “Teen Truth Live,” asked the students attending two assemblies in the school gym to join him in an honest discussion about drug and alcohol use.

Sarich told about his own downfall, hoping to uncover what he calls the “truth and consequences of drugs,” he said.

Sarich asked the students if they have tried drugs or alcohol. At least half the hands went up.  Associated Student Body Director Emily Petterson said that she chose the nonprofit organization because of its programs regarding bullying.

“We’ve had some drug- and alcohol-related deaths of Poway High Students,” Petterson said. “We thought the perspective of today’s video and the speaker’s talk would be appropriate for our students.”

Sarich showed a video highlighting several addicts who spoke about their addiction, consequently losing jobs, relationships, their health, hurting their families and ultimately themselves.

Most spoke about drinking at an early age, as young as 13 or 14, sipping a parent’s drink, then moving on to drugs.

Not intending to get hooked, but often not being able to stop, said those who were filmed.

During Friday’s assemblies, Sarich warned students that the video was quite graphic.

At times during the film viewers gasped, mostly at the time-progression photos that showed how drug use can physically affect addicts — thinning hair, receding gum lines, lost teeth and other physical effects.

As poignant as the film was, Sarich’s own story about his alcohol and drug use surpassed the video tales, said students.

Sarich said he lost his dream to become a professional baseball player after he and some friends were involved in a DUI accident more than a decade ago.

Sarich was not the driver, but his best friend was. After the accident, two colleges told him they were no longer interested in him attending their schools.

He eventually got hooked on drugs and estimated that while he was living in Santa Barbara that he spent about $81,000 on drugs.

Not much later he tried to kill himself, but the gun failed to go off, he said. Seated on a lone chair in the gym, he pointed his finger to his head, if cocking a weapon.

“I’ll never know why the gun failed,” he said.

Later, he told his mother he was coming home to talk to her. She was waiting in the driveway, as if she knew the message would be ominous, he said.

That’s when his life turned around — and he began his sobriety, he said.

He was asked on at least two occasions by the nonprofit to write his own story, but he stalled each time.

Eventually, he was ready to tell his tale, hoping that in the process he would make an impact on teens, warning them to make wise choices.

Now sober, his life has taken a new turn, he said.

“I got engaged at Thanksgiving, so I’m ready to get married,” he said. “Things are looking good.”

At the end of each of each session, Sarich passes out three white wrist bands imprinted with the word “truth” to those who tell a truth.

For Alexa Cooper, a new PHS freshman who recently moved from Palm Springs, her “truth” was about a friend back in Palm Springs who has started doing “bad things,” she said.

“Let her know you’re thinking of her,” Sarich said. “And, send her the bracelet.

Junior Julie Gattenio said about the speaker, “His talk was very realistic — much more personal than most.”

Sarich’s talk, said junior Madison Hewett, would make her and others think of Veronica Aguirre, a PHS cheerleader who died in a rollover accident in Escondido this past December.

Written by: Pat Kumpan
Published by: Pomerado News
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