Original subtitles

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KAYLA: It's all his life revolves around is shooting up.

MICHAEL: He's like a full-on drug addict.

He uses fentanyl every day.

It's been five years.

¶

NIKKI: You [beep]! [beep]!

MICHAEL: He's got a girlfriend now.

COLEMAN: Stop! Let [beep] go of me!

KAYLA: They're stealing and they're using.

COLEMAN: You know, I don't need any of your [beep] [beep].

Take this! [beep] you, goof!

NIKKI: You too!

¶

COLEMAN: I guess I'm afraid that this is it for me.

I'm feeling like I have no choice.

COLEMAN: That's just how it is for me now.

KAYLA: Every day is just a waiting game.

Waiting for him to get help...

...or for him to die.

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COLEMAN: I'm surprised it's not raining.

KAYLA: Coleman is an extremely hard worker.

He has got an amazing work ethic.

ALBERTA: Coleman is a very smart guy.

He catches on easy.

And when he likes doing something, he'll excel at it.

TRACEY: He's a good man. He always has been.

He's always been so willing to help.

COLEMAN: I got a full-time job when I was about 15

at a kitchen cabinet shop.

At the end of the day, I feel good about myself

when you go to a job.

It just feels good to make an honest dollar.

I've always enjoyed it.

Lately, I can't be doing that

because I've always got to make sure

I'm not going to be dope sick.

I'm addicted to heroin and fentanyl.

¶

MICHAEL: He's got a girlfriend now.

She's a full-on drug addict, I guess, too, right?

COLEMAN: I met Nikki in a recovery house here in Mission.

She was new into the program too.

We just started hanging out every day.

NIKKI: I dunno, we just got along really well,

and he was kind of a bad-ass, so...

COLEMAN: The first few times I used fentanyl,

it just felt good, like I had more confidence.

It made all my problems not seem so bad anymore.

Everything was just going to get better.

But that doesn't last too long.

KAYLA: He's always been such a good-looking guy,

and taken pride in the way that he looks.

Now, he looks so skinny

and jaundiced.

MICHAEL: He's like a full-on drug addict.

He uses fentanyl every day.

ALBERTA: One day he phoned me,

said that he'd been throwing up black blood all night.

The test results came back showing he had Hep-C.

MICHAEL: He wanted to have a family.

He wanted to have a good life,

but he's got nothing now.

COLEMAN: It kind of blows me away.

I'm really surprised I let myself get to this point.

When I was a kid, I never thought I'd have Hepatitis-C

and injecting fentanyl into my jugular vein.

I just didn't see that one coming.

ALBERTA: Coleman was a beautiful baby.

He was very happy, very lovable.

Everyone wanted to hold him.

TRACEY: He was really cute

and always into everything from day one,

climbing on tables, in the fridge, up the counters.

But he was a very good baby.

¶

TRACEY: My mom was a single mom, and our dad was in prison.

Coleman was conceived in prison on a home visit.

COLEMAN: My oldest memories

are probably going to see my dad in jail, I guess.

ALBERTA: Two days old is the first time he went to prison.

He grew up pretty well visiting the prison.

¶

COLEMAN: I think he was in jail for doing, like, robberies

and, um... I don't know, assault.

And when I ask my mom about it,

she doesn't really like to talk about it.

MICHAEL: He was a drug addict. He was an alcoholic.

He was all of that.

ALBERTA: It wasn't good, but I stayed,

just to have a family

COLEMAN: I remember always lying to everybody

about where my dad was too,

because it was just embarrassing.

COLEMAN: But I remember still wanting to impress my dad.

For some reason, when I was a kid,

I thought it would have been cool to be locked up

beside my dad or something.

STAR: Coleman, he was going to go and live with his dad

when his dad was released.

That was kind of the plan.

KAYLA: His mom was working,

and the kids were on their own a lot of the time,

taking care of each other.

STAR: He was a pretty easy-going little guy

until his dad was diagnosed with

colon cancer.

COLEMAN: When he started getting sick, he was in jail,

and he didn't want anybody coming to see him at that time.

I think he just wanted us to remember him as being

a big strong guy or whatever.

I got to go see him once before he passed away.

STAR: His dad was always his hero,

and that was gone then.

There was a lot of turmoil around that.

KAYLA: He started rebelling.

I would hear stories from my mom about him

getting alcohol poisoning, smoking weed,

and then, progressively, it just got worse from there.

COLEMAN: I think I was trying to be the baddest kid.

I just thought that would make my brothers think

I was cool or something, you know?

STAR: A few years later, Barry was diagnosed with

colon cancer at the age of 23.

KAYLA: Barry was his older brother

that he was the closest to in his family.

COLEMAN: He was definitely the main guy that I looked up to.

Just everything I wanted to be.

Just a real positive person.

And he was a really big guy.

Like, and within six months of taking chemotherapy,

he was like scrawny as I am now, right?

It was a really tough time.

ALBERTA: The very last night, Coleman was the one

that was with him.

So that had to be very hard. [voice breaks]

KATIE: When Barry passed away, Coleman

totally changed.

TRACEY: I think that's when he started the heavy, heavy stuff.

He didn't want emotions.

COLEMAN: After my brother, Barry, passed away, I was 19.

I met a girl at a party.

We basically were together every day

after the first time we met.

MICHAEL: She had everything going for her.

She was smart. Like, extremely smart.

She was way ahead of her game.

TRACEY: They smoked a lot of pot, and they probably did,

you know, a few little things like Ecstasy, things like that.

COLEMAN: She got pregnant, and basically, like,

I wasn't partying anymore.

Like, I tried to stop all that kind of [beep].

I wanted to provide a good home.

¶

ALBERTA: The day she was born, it was a great day.

He was crying, so happy.

TRACEY: He really wanted to be a dad,

and I think he wanted to be a good dad.

I don't think he did any hard drugs or anything like that.

ALBERTA: Loved to hold her.

Loved to take her out and show her off.

KAYLA: He would always be on the floor playing with her.

He was the best dad.

ALBERTA: He did really, really try.

He loved his daughter, but he was choosing drugs as well.

COLEMAN: A couple of times, we just started

taking like Percocets and stuff like that.

We would use together,

and it just made hanging out at home

and watching a movie with your girlfriend,

it just seemed amazing.

It just made everything seem better.

I felt like a better dad.

I felt like I could go to work and be a better worker.

MICHAEL: He started doing Oxys and pills and stuff.

That became a big problem

because it led to all the other stuff.

COLEMAN: There was this one night I couldn't find any pills,

so somebody offered me heroin, and so I used it a few times,

and then my girlfriend started.

MICHAEL: Once they started doing heroin and stuff,

then it got bad.

COLEMAN: We stopped getting along for a while,

and I ended up leaving.

I moved into my brother's place,

and I would go there maybe two or three nights a week

and spend the night with them.

KAYLA: They were off and on,

both using drugs.

COLEMAN: Like, I would be there for the weekend.

We might use, and then when I would leave on

Sunday night or Monday morning or whatever,

I always assumed like it stopped there for her too.

So I was sleeping at my brother's house one night,

and the cops came. They knocked on the door.

They let me know what had happened.

¶

COLEMAN: They said my daughter was okay,

but she was probably alone for about four days

with her mom's body, and...

It should have been me instead of her.

She would have, um... [sniffs]

I think she would have been a much better parent

than I've been.

TRACEY: He then lost his daughter.

He didn't get to see her anymore because he was using.

ALBERTA: The drug use really increased all the time,

and now my son has gone from doing heroin, to doing fentanyl,

to doing both, to mixing up anything that he can

do to get a feeling of numbness, he calls it.

COLEMAN: Do you want to come and do this?

NIKKI: Yup.

MICHAEL: It's been five years.

He's living at a drug house full of addicts.

ALBERTA: I heard there was a death in that house

a few months ago...

in the room that Coleman is sleeping in right now.

Coleman's girlfriend said, "Oh, it's okay.

"We cleaned it up with bleach before we moved into that room."

Every time I hear a siren, like, I panic.

I think it's going to that house.

[background chatter]

COLEMAN: Here, come on.

ALBERTA: He's just playing a very dangerous game,

and if he doesn't have an intervention,

he's going to die.

¶

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COLEMAN: When I wake up every morning,

I'm feeling withdrawal right away.

NIKKI: Me and Coleman get up sick,

try to find something that's in our room,

which is usually like one little cooker

with a little bit of fentanyl in it.

It doesn't really help.

It doesn't make you feel better at all.

COLEMAN: [sighs]

NIKKI: Then you have to do it again.

COLEMAN: [groans]

COLEMAN: Right now, I'd say just every day

we're, 100% of our focus basically is on...

staying un-sick.

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COLEMAN: Okay, so, um...

so just try and get makeup and, uh..

NIKKI: And what else? COLEMAN: Cheese.

NIKKI: Just stuff I always get?

COLEMAN: Just try and get lots of expensive cheese, I guess.

I don't know.

NIKKI: I'm good.

COLEMAN: I love you. NIKI: Love you.

¶

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NIKKI: [on phone] All right. Love you.

Bye.

¶

NIKKI: I started stealing because I was hungry.

Been basically doing it my whole life.

Usually, we boost liquor, meat, or makeup.

COLEMAN: Let's see. What'd you get?

NIKKI: I grabbed like a lot of cheese.

NIKKI: There's quite a few people that we can call

that'll take whatever we have.

COLEMAN: Okay, I've got five pallets of the MIX...

NIKKI: That was $34.

COLEMAN: ...that were worth $34 a piece.

10, 11, 12, 13 bricks of cheese.

I don't know. Can you do 60?

[beep].

COLEMAN: She wants to give us 30 for it all.

NIKKI: For that and cheese? COLEMAN: Yeah.

NIKKI: No. COLEMAN: No, God.

NIKKI: So, I'm saying 60 bucks for all these because, yeah.

COLEMAN: Okay, well, I dunno. What do you wanna do?

NIKKI: Just do whatever the [beep] you want.

Or whatever she wants. I don't care.

COLEMAN: [into phone] Okay, bye.

¶

NIKKI: Oh, there she is.

COLEMAN: Everybody that's taking the stuff from us,

they're all single moms, eh?

NIKKI: Oh, yeah, I know.

Hi.

COLEMAN: What's going on?

I dunno, if you want anything else, you can always just

text me and I'll grab it. WOMAN: Okay.

COLEMAN: I'd rather be doing [beep] like this

for people like you, so...

NIKKI: It helps us out too, right?

KAYLA: They're stealing, and they're using,

and they depend on each other

for this illness and this addiction that they have.

¶

COLEMAN: Okay, I'll see you, guys.

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COLEMAN: This dope's purple.

NIKKI: It's been purple for like a month.

Dealers who cut it so bad,

you can't even get high off it anymore.

ALBERTA: Nikki has said she came from a very bad home.

NIKKI: Been around drugs for a long time.

11 was the first time I seen a needle.

NIKKI: Me and my mom moved out to the res.

Some of her guy friends injected me with heroin when I was 11.

NIKKI: I'd rather be...

completely numbed out than have to feel the [bleep]

that I think about every day.

NIKKI: Not being there for my kid,

it's really hard to talk about

because I know what it feels like to not have anybody.

So why would I... [crying]

Why would I do that to someone else?

NIKKI: I don't feel anything.

NIKKI: [sighs] Feel it?

COLEMAN: Nope.

COLEMAN: I've been having to use the heroin like every

three or four hours to feel good.

I know the only way I'm going to feel any better

is if I just come up with the money to get what I need.

NIKKI: Well, let's go do a big shop then.

COLEMAN: It gets to the point where

I don't give a [bleep] about my morals anymore.

COLEMAN: Let's go try and get some meat.

COLEMAN: I've got to commit a crime every day

in order to get money together.

NIKKI: We're tired of doing this.

We're just, like, basically at the end of our rope.

NIKKI: There's four packs of like 30, over 30 pieces.

COLEMAN: There's actually quite a bit here.

COLEMAN: [into phone] What's going on?

Okay, well, we got four packs of steaks,

and then we got four packs of the gouda cheeses.

Mm-hm.

NIKKI: We could have [beep] got twice as much dope

in half the time.

COLEMAN: I knocked $10 off of it!

NIKKI: [beep] Okay, then don't ask me what I [beep] want.

All I get is a [beep] dirty little smash that

doesn't do [beep] except for getting me sick the next day,

so I don't even give a [beep].

You just boss me around, tell me what to do all [beep] day.

Take advantage of me. [beep]

COLEMAN: I don't need any of your [beep]!

Take this! [beep] you!

NIKKI: [beep] you too, bitch.

COLEMAN: Get the [beep] out of the house tonight!

NIKKI: See you at home, sweetie! Love you!

COLEMAN: Don't go to that house!

NIKKI: It takes a lot of strength not to punch

a mouth that you [beep] hate! COLEMAN: [beep] you!

[beep]! NIKKI: [beep]!

[beep] you!

COLEMAN: Get the [beep] off me 'cause I'll [beep] kill you.

NIKKI: You've gonna [beep]...

COLEMAN: Stop! Let [beep] go of me!

NIKKI: This is our score!

Now, stop, and just come home with me.

Stop being a [beep]! [crying]

STORMY: The relationship between Nikki and Coleman has to end,

in order for him to get clean and for her to get clean,

I'm sure.

NIKKI: I really had high hopes for myself

when I was younger. [sniffs]

And, uh...

I guess I just [beep]...

I guess I just gave up because...

I didn't think I was worth it.

NIKKI: I'm not leaving you behind.

BOTH: I'm sorry.

COLEMAN: [coughs]

Good, how are you? KAYLA: Good.

Are you going to be good for a couple of hours?

COLEMAN: Oh, yeah. Don't have a choice.

Yeah, I'll be all right.

NIKKI: So, what's getting painted?

COLEMAN: Bedroom. KAYLA: Downstairs bedroom...

NIKKI: Mm-hm.

COLEMAN: Do you have $30 on you till then?

KAYLA: Pardon?

COLEMAN: Do you have $30 on you till then?

KAYLA: We'll just give you some of your payment

a little early for helping.

COLEMAN: Yeah.

KAYLA: I've never had addictions like he has,

so I don't know what it's like for him.

But to see him now let himself go like this, it's terrible.

COLEMAN: Okay. Do you mind going to [beep]?

KAYLA: Sure. Where do you want me to park?

COLEMAN: Oh, just anywhere. It doesn't matter.

KAYLA: Here? COLEMAN: Yeah.

KAYLA: Okay.

COLEMAN: Look, I don't like this.

It does not feel right.

KAYLA: Embarrassing.

COLEMAN: Okay, I'll be right back.

¶

KAYLA: Is he just going to pick up?

NIKKI: Yeah, he's just meeting with someone,

and then when we get up to the house,

maybe we'll just walk down, go do it somewhere else.

KAYLA: But he's been knowingly using fentanyl for--

NIKKI: Since before the crisis

two years ago, or last year, or whatever.

KAYLA: It makes me sick to my stomach to think

that that's what he's using.

COLEMAN: Sorry.

KAYLA: I don't like the fact that I just gave you money,

but if it means that we get a couple of hours

hanging out and--

COLEMAN: Well, I don't even really get high, though.

It just kind of keeps me from getting sick.

KAYLA: It's not even getting you high anymore?

COLEMAN: No, it just keeps me from getting sick, that's it.

ALBERTA: Hi.

KAYLA: I don't want to watch him do this anymore.

Like, I don't want to have to take him to go buy drugs.

[crying] ALBERTA: I know, I know.

You can't do it anymore. Okay?

It'll be okay. Come on.

Come on. Come on.

Come on, let's sit down. KAYLA: [sniffs]

COLEMAN: Big hairy spiders around here.

NIKKI: Ooh, friendly.

COLEMAN: Want to light a smoke?

Okay.

COLEMAN: I feel like I've been a coward

and just using drugs to deal with my own pain.

COLEMAN: [groans]

NIKKI: Got to get back there, all right?

COLEMAN: I already feel guilty enough for leaving.

NIKKI: I know.

[background chatter]

KID: Hi, hi!

KID: Hi! COLEMAN: Hi!

KID: Nikki, hi, Nikki! NIKKI: Hi!

NIKKI: When we first started hanging out,

we'd go and hang out with his sister and his nieces,

and like, he's really good with kids.

NIKKI: You can tell that they've had a really close relationship

and stuff, but he's distanced himself a lot

since he started really using heavily.

KATIE: Yes, they're so shiny.

NIKKI: Oh, those are cool. KATIE: Yeah, they light up.

ALBERTA: Are you up to painting? COLEMAN: Yeah.

COLEMAN: Nikki's here to help too.

[background chatter]

KAYLA: Growing up, we were best friends,

and we were always together.

He was like an older brother to me.

COLEMAN: That wall too, I guess? KAYLA: I don't know.

KAYLA: He was so much fun to be around.

Always making people laugh.

COLEMAN: [laughs]

KAYLA: It's heart-breaking to me

to watch drugs take over his life.

COLEMAN: Hi, Brooke. BROOKE: Hi.

COLEMAN: Here you go. Okay, let's do this area.

We'll do it in the corner, right here.

Okay, I'm gonna go down... then back up.

Good job.

KATIE: Coleman's amazing when we get together.

He's always playing with the kids.

He wants to be with us, but he doesn't want us to see how he is

because he's so sick.

COLEMAN: Gentle with the brush or else you'll wreck 'em.

ALBERTA: He hasn't gone to weddings.

COLEMAN: Good job, Brooke.

ALBERTA: Because I think he's embarrassed.

BROOKE: More paint!

COLEMAN: We're like done, dude!

BROOKE: Aw!

¶

COLEMAN: Nik? NIKKI: Yeah?

COLEMAN: You eating? NIKKI: Um, yeah.

KATIE: How was the painting? COLEMAN: Um, okay.

KID: [laughs]

KAYLA: You're good for tickling.

COLEMAN: [makes noises] Hi!

COLEMAN: Guess I'm afraid that I'll never get my life back.

KID: Wow! COLEMAN: Wow!

COLEMAN: I was hoping that

I'd be able to fix everything. [background chatter]

COLEMAN: Who's that?

COLEMAN: I wanted to get clean...

for my daughter.

It's hard to talk about because, um...

like, I'm not there for her right now. [crying]

KID: Hi! COLEMAN: Hi!

NIKKI: That was so cute.

KAYLA: There's the rest of the money for the work.

COLEMAN: Okay. Thank you.

NIKKI: I could tell you want a big hug.

ALBERTA: Bye, Coleman!

COLEMAN: Bye, guys. Love ya.

NIKKI: Have a good night!

NIKKI: It's nice to get together.

That was fun.

COLEMAN: No. NIKKI: Oh, good.

COLEMAN: Yeah. KAYLA: Okay.

KAYLA: Okay. Bye.

Love you. COLEMAN: Okay, drive safe!

NIKKI: All right.

COLEMAN: I guess I'm afraid that this is it for me,

like... feeling like I have no choice.

That's just how it is for me now.

¶

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NIKKI: [laughs] Lay down, babe. Just here.

KAYLA: Coleman needs this intervention so bad.

NIKKI: You're okay.

KAYLA: I'm so terrified of him dying.

[sniffs]

MAUREEN: Well, hi.

My name's Maureen Brine,

and it is my pleasure to be Coleman's interventionist.

So, I'm going to call us the Coleman team, okay?

So, today is really a day for you.

I know that you all have been deeply impacted

by what is going on.

You didn't cause his addiction,

but the events in his life surely contributed, right?

So, what do you think the pain is under Cole's addiction?

TRACEY: That's not just one thing.

I mean, he's got lots. EVERYONE: Mm-hm.

KAYLA: The loss of the sibling,

the dad, and a girlfriend.

MAUREEN: Yeah, he's had very significant deaths in his life.

KATIE: Mm-hm.

One of his pains that he has a hard time with

is not being able to see his daughter.

MAUREEN: And how long has it been since he's seen her?

KATIE: Almost three years,

but anytime you mention her name or he asks about her,

he breaks down.

MAUREEN: So that will be a big sort of piece of leverage

for him that if he can get well, there's a chance that he might

have her back in his life.

KATIE: Yeah, and I would love that.

MAUREEN: Yeah.

It's okay.

ALBERTA: It's very hard. It's been a long time like this.

[crying] Sorry. MAUREEN: It's okay.

ALBERTA: This is the worst I've ever seen him.

MAUREEN: I mean, how long do you think he's had a problem?

ALBERTA: Since he was probably 12 years old.

I think he feels really disconnected.

He feels lonely.

MAUREEN: Cole was 12 when his dad died?

ALBERTA: Yes.

He was still very close to him.

He was... Barry was in prison

at that time, and we used to say,

"This is where your dad works, so we're going to go there

"because he can't leave work,"

and he believed it.

MAUREEN: For how long?

ALBERTA: Until he was about four or five years old.

MAUREEN: Yeah, that's very sad. ALBERTA: Mm-hm.

I feel very guilty for that.

I kind of created something

that I thought was right at the time.

MAUREEN: Mm-hm. ALBERTA: But it wasn't.

MAUREEN: No. ALBERTA: No.

I was just trying to have this make-believe family.

MICHAEL: We loved going. TRACEY: [laughs]

MICHAEL: When you're a kid, right?

It was fun. It was, like,

you're living as a family and they had, like, duplex houses.

Like, we'd all sleep there.

TRACEY: When we got to spend the night there,

um, you know, we'd all sit down for dinner together.

MICHAEL: It was exciting. TRACEY: We didn't do that.

You know, ever.

Or Christmas time, right? It was exciting.

MAUREEN: So it felt, for you,

family was inside the walls of that prison.

TRACEY: As sad as that sounds. That sounds really sad.

MAUREEN: Hmm.

So, what was happening for you?

ALBERTA: I didn't want to be in that relationship,

but I wanted a family.

I wanted to leave so many times, but I didn't.

Every time I went back with him, I had another child,

and then another child, and...

MAUREEN: You were conceiving when you went for these visits.

ALBERTA: Yeah.

MAUREEN: So what was happening for you, Alberta,

that you were dating Coleman's dad in prison?

ALBERTA: You know, I grew up in a small town in Nova Scotia.

I was given away at birth.

My mother had three kids,

and she gave us all away the same week.

One was four, one was two.

I was 11 days.

MAUREEN: Just gave you away. ALBERTA: Yeah, yeah.

STAR: Separate homes.

They all went to separate homes too.

MAUREEN: So you lost your siblings as well.

ALBERTA: Yes.

MAUREEN: So that makes a lot of sense that

there's a whole history of trauma and loss,

even before these kids came along.

MAUREEN: And, unfortunately, you know,

your losses became his losses.

Those gifts go on giving, unless you get some help.

So, are there any other reasons that you think

he might throw out to not go?

STAR: His girlfriend. MICHAEL: Yeah.

MAUREEN: Well, thank you for bringing Nikki up,

because she is my next agenda item.

Nikki needs as much help as he does, right?

She's deep into her addictions as well.

And so we would also like to offer Nikki help tomorrow.

TRACEY: Different places, though, right?

MAUREEN: Oh, [laughs] definitely.

TRACEY: Like different sides of the world or something.

MAUREEN: That's right.

I'm not going to tell him that until we're all done,

so we just need to get to a yes from him,

and I'm going to get up and receive Nikki.

You know, we don't want to linger too, too long, right?

Because then people start to change their mind.

I want to get them both in the cars and whisk them away.

STAR: Strike while the iron is hot.

MAUREEN: Yeah.

I think all the necessary ingredients are here.

He's got reasons to live and to break the cycle of addiction,

to break the cycle of loss, and the rest is up to Cole.

NIKKI: All right, ready?

All right, let's go.

MAUREEN: Good morning. STAR: Good morning.

MAUREEN: It's a great day for an intervention.

¶

MAUREEN: If he says no to us today,

you guys have to hang tough

to your bottom lines.

NIKKI: Hey, babe. Give me a smooch.

COLEMAN: Love you. NIKKI: See you in a bit.

MAUREEN: Okay, guys. Here we go.

Team Coleman, eh?

KAYLA: Team Coleman.

COLEMAN: Oh... MAUREEN: Hey, Coleman, hi.

Come on in. My name's Maureen Brine.

COLEMAN: Yeah? MAUREEN: And your family

would like to have a chat with you.

You're amongst people who love you.

Thank you for joining us.

As you may know, this is an intervention.

COLEMAN: Okay.

MAUREEN: This is a gift of love from your family to you.

And what I would like you to do is just to relax

as much as you can. COLEMAN: Okay.

MAUREEN: And I'll give you a chance to say something

at the end. COLEMAN: All right.

MAUREEN: Okay? So I'm going to call upon...

Tracey to read you her letter.

Just take your time.

TRACEY: [crying] "Dear Coleman,

"I'm here today for you.

"I might not see you often, and I'm not there

"to show or tell you that I love you, but I do.

"I always have, and I always will.

"I know you're very sick, scared, and tired of this life,

"but only you are able to stand up

"and fight like hell for it back.

"We're all behind you and believe that you can do it.

"You just need to start believing in yourself."

MAUREEN: Keep breathing, Cole. You okay?

COLEMAN: Yeah. MAUREEN: Keep breathing.

You're doing great. Michael?

MICHAEL: "Coleman, I'm here because I love you.

"I haven't been the best role model,

"and I'm really sorry I haven't been.

"I'm here because I want to be,

"and I want to be there for you.

"I hope you accept this, you know.

"If you don't...

[exhales heavily]

"...there's one thing that'll happen, right?

"And you'll die.

"So, I don't want to lose another brother.

"Mom can't lose another kid.

"So just accept this gift."

MAUREEN: Well, Katie?

KATIE: All right, just need a second.

MAUREEN: Take as much time as you need, Katie.

KATIE: [crying]

"Coleman, I love you.

"I am here today to show you

"that I care about you

"and would do anything in the world to help you change.

"You're an amazing brother and uncle.

"Coleman, I hope you accept this help today

"so you will be happy and healthy.

"I love you to the moon and back."

MAUREEN: And if your brother can't,

do you have a bottom line for him?

KATIE: [crying]

I won't be able to handle the pain if you were to die,

so I'll have to...

cut off contact with my kids.

And that really kills me, because...

my son looks up to Coleman,

and tells me all the time they're best friends.

MAUREEN: Aw.

Okay, well, thank you. I know that was hard to say.

KATIE: Yes.

MAUREEN: That leaves Mom.

ALBERTA: [sniffs]

"Dear Coleman...

"I'm here to tell you how much I love and miss you.

"You were two days old when you met your father in prison.

"You loved your dad, and that was the only life you knew.

"Losing him was hard.

"My fear is losing you.

"You look worn-out and close to death.

"Your face looks hopeless.

"It's scary, I know, but you're strong.

"Fight for your life.

"You're not alone, ever.

"People in heaven are watching."

MAUREEN: And should he turn me down today,

do you have a bottom line for your son?

ALBERTA: "Coleman, if you don't accept help,

"I have to walk away.

"I'm mentally exhausted.

"I need to have a life.

"But I will love you forever."

¶

MAUREEN: Okay.

COLEMAN: I didn't know this was going to happen, so...

MAUREEN: No, that's just fine. Okay.

You want to show him where it is?

MAUREEN: Maybe Kayla should wait in the hall.

TRACEY: There's a needle.

KAYLA: There's a needle under my foot.

MAUREEN: There's a what? KAYLA & TRACEY: A needle.

MAUREEN: Oh, [beep]. Don't pick it up.

COLEMAN: Did I drop something over there?

[beep]

This is so not cool.

They don't need to see that. [beep]

TRACEY: If he tries to get away, do you think he's going to?

COLEMAN: [beep] sakes!

KAYLA: She wanted us to go.

Are we supposed to go out there right now?

COLEMAN: [beep]

MAUREEN: So, yeah, you dropped your kit, right?

COLEMAN: Yeah. Like, they all seen that?

MAUREEN: You dropped it on the floor in front of--

COLEMAN: [beep] MAUREEN: Sweetheart, they know.

COLEMAN: Wow.

MAUREEN: They've seen plenty, right?

They've seen plenty. It's okay.

You know what? You're a sick, not bad man.

Right?

COLEMAN: [beep]

MAUREEN: Well, you know what? I've got to tell you...

They love you. They know you're sick.

This is not a surprise.

Okay?

Oh, yeah.

He's feeling really bad that you guys saw that, right?

COLEMAN: [beep] I'm just so sorry. [beep]

TRACEY: I feel like I'm going to throw up.

MAUREEN: You ready?

So, Coleman, thank you for listening.

COLEMAN: Yup. MAUREEN: And it's my job today

to ask you if you are ready to receive help

for your addictions.

Are you ready?

COLEMAN: [sighs]

COLEMAN: Yeah.

MAUREEN: Yeah? Good choice, Coleman.

KAYLA: [laughs]

MAUREEN: So, we've also made arrangements for Nikki

to be admitted to treatment today as well, all right?

So you don't have to worry about her.

COLEMAN: Okay.

MAUREEN: In a few minutes, we're going to bring her in,

and I would like your help to convince her

that she should go too.

She needs help too, right?

COLEMAN: Yeah.

Is she here already?

MAUREEN: Yeah. Okay?

COLEMAN: [sniffs]

¶

¶

MAUREEN: Hi, Nikki. NIKKI: Hi.

MAUREEN: I'm Maureen. Come on in.

You're amongst friends here.

NIKKI: Cool. MAUREEN: Okay.

Just have a seat beside Coleman.

I'm an interventionist,

and this has been a morning for Coleman.

NIKKI: Cool.

MAUREEN: And now this is also your opportunity.

Okay? Are you ready for that?

NIKKI: Mm-hm. MAUREEN: So Coleman has accepted

our offer. NIKKI: Yup.

MAUREEN: And we're hoping that you will do the same.

NIKKI: Okay.

MAUREEN: It's my job to ask you today if you're willing

to accept the help that we want to offer you today.

NIKKI: Yeah, definitely. [laughs]

MAUREEN: Yeah? Good.

You'll go? NIKKI: Yeah.

MAUREEN: Good choice. NIKKI: For sure.

COLEMAN: I appreciate the extra effort you guys put into

looking out for her because... NIKKI: Nobody's ever done that.

COLEMAN: ...it would have been hard for me to go

without knowing she was going to be safe.

NIKKI: Yeah.

MAUREEN: Well, you both deserve an opportunity, and this is it,

so I'm glad that you've accepted the help.

[background chatter]

ALBERTA: I love you.

COLEMAN: I love you, Mom. I'm so sorry.

ALBERTA: Take good care of yourself.

STAR: Don't miss your flight.

¶

COLEMAN: Bye. Love you guys!

ALBERTA: Bye, love you! KATIE: Good luck!

¶

MAUREEN: So, how are you doing?

COLEMAN: I'm scared.

MAUREEN: You're going to a top-notch treatment centre.

The Sunshine Coast Health Centre is more than equipped

to deal with this.

¶

MAUREEN: Ready? COLEMAN: [sighs] Ready.

MAUREEN: Ready, Freddie? COLEMAN: I am ready.

MAUREEN: Hi. WOMAN: Hi.

You must be Coleman. COLEMAN: I am.

WOMAN: Welcome to Sunshine Coast Health Centre.

COLEMAN: Thanks.

MAUREEN: Go on in, then. COLEMAN: All right.

SARA: Coleman is definitely a success so far.

Obviously, his appearance has changed.

He gained about 40 pounds,

and his level of confidence has gone way up.

COLEMAN: I was anxious.

I didn't know if I'd be able to do this.

I guess the shame and guilt of being an absent parent

is really hard to even talk about, still,

but I'm tired of running away from that.

I definitely look at my relationship

with Nikki a lot different.

In the past, we were more partners in crime

and enabling each other every day.

My main priority right now is getting straight

for my daughter.

I want to be a better person.

I want to be a part of society again.

I have hope for the future now.

And I'm ready now to just put up the fight,

do whatever it takes.

¶

NIKKI: I feel pretty proud of myself for realizing

that I can break the chain

that's been in my family for generations, right?

I'm really happy that the obsession is behind me,

the obsession to use has been lifted.

I don't have to use to make myself feel better.

I don't have to use to numb my feelings out anymore,

and I guess I've just learned that I'm a lot stronger

than I thought I was.

I look at my relationship differently

with Coleman now, for sure.

We depended on each other a little bit too much,

and it was unhealthy.

Now we have a lot more understanding of the things

that we need to work on in ourselves.

I guess some of my big dreams for the future would be

to find somewhere where I fit with the community,

and everything that I need, all the support is there,

and to have a relationship with my daughter again.

¶

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