Building a hopeful future

In 1997, in De Koepel prison, my coach Kees van Zijtveld told me: 'Ed, you cannot hope for a better past.' I was on my own and begged God for help.

After years of failed attempts, I managed to get clean: within a week I was off heroin, after two weeks off cocaine and after a month off methadone, cold turkey and without medication or therapy.

Here, in 2003, at minus one hundred, was my turning point towards recovery, which was eventually allowed to lead, among other things, to this book. I no longer had to hope for a better past. I could start building a hopeful future.

ED LEATEMIA