By Steve Powell

spowell@marysvilleglobe.com

MARYSVILLE – Like many fathers of a drug addict, David Day doesn’t know what to do.

For 10 years he’s been dealing with a son’s addiction. He’s confused on when to try to help and when tough love is needed.

His son, who is 28, is improving after clinging to life at a local hospital in intensive care. Day said his son uses meth and heroin, and it has taken its toll on his heart. “He needs help now, not six months down the road” when there’s an opening at a rehabilitation center, Day said. Besides, he said he can’t afford the $15,000 it would cost to send his son to such a place.

He said he would like the community to discuss what can be done in the short term to help these people. “I’m sure there are parents in the same situation, that don’t know how to deal with it,” he said.

Day said he and his wife had to move out of a mobile home they had on a lot because the landowner in Texas lost the property by not paying his taxes. His addict son, however, stayed there as a squatter. Day said he went there and found a bunch of needles.

“They were higher than hell,” he said of his son and his friends, whom Day has known since they were kids. “They didn’t know if they were sitting on the couch or flying around the room.

“I found all the things I didn’t want to find.”

Day said he booted them out and screwed all the windows shut, but they still broke back in. He also shut off the power and water since he no longer was living there.

He said he contacted three local law enforcement agencies, but none could do a thing. Day said the issue is leading to health problems for him.

“I don’t want anymore stress,” he said, adding he had a heart attack two years ago.

Day, 65, said his family’s problems with drugs go back years. He said his mom died of a heroin overdose in 1968.

“I saw it when I was young, and there’s more now,” he said. “It’s getting out of hand.”

He asked where do people get the money to get the expensive treatment?

“There’s gotta be another way to treat opioid addiction,” he said. “There’s no where to go for help. They’re going to end up dead. There’s got to be something we can do.”