Is it true that you almost overdosed about a month ago?
I did overdose a month ago.
OPRAH: What happened?
I was passed out in a bed and I had woke up the next day
at noon and I-- there was people around me,
and there was blood on the bed, and they were crying.
And they're like, we're never doing it again,
we're never going to do it again.
And I was like, what's going on?
And they said, like, every five minutes I'd wake up
and I'd be screaming to the top of my lungs
and asking for things and they'd come in and they'd help me.
And nobody took me to the hospital
because everyone was too scared because they were all high.
And so, I was up for probably six or seven
days when it happened and--
Where are you doing this?
Where?
At friends, everywhere, around.
All your friends, you're at everyone's house.
How soon did your parents know you were doing this?
She didn't really know at first.
And then, I think it was my sister that
said Chantel's in la-la-land.
And, uh, my mom asked the school counselor to give me a UA
and she did and it came up positive for methamphetamines.
And everyone, from then on, started saying, oh she is--
she is different.
Yeah.
So you can still function when you're on it,
you can appear normal when you're high?
Yeah.
When you are high you think you are normal,
you really think you are.
You think nobody knows.
- Are you still in school? - Yeah.
OK.
You go to school and do it?
Um, yes.
And so, is everybody around you doing it?
How many-- do all of your friends do it?
I have probably one friend that doesn't do it.
One friend that doesn't do it.
One friend that doesn't.
And you say it makes you feel, what?
Meth makes you feel?
It makes me feel happy.
Like, every time a fight happens or something,
It's like my gateway to run to.
Like, I run to meth when I'm upset, when I'm mad.
That's what I run to to clear my mind.
Yeah, I'd heard that you said it made you feel irresistible.
Yeah.
Do you mean in a sexual way or what?
Just everything.
You feel like you're good looking, you feel--
The world is yours?
Yeah, pretty much.
And you are the queen of all things?
- Yeah. - OK.
And have you ever done anything on the drug that you regret?
There's a lot of things on the drug that I regret.
I put my family through everything,
and I regret it a lot.
Like, I had a best friend since third grade,
and I got hooked on drugs, and she left.
And so, I don't have that best friend anymore.
I've dated a lot of people that did drugs to get
free drugs, which I regret.
But, I never--
Do you like the situation that you're in now?
- Not at all. - Yeah.
Do you like yourself?
No.
OPRAH: No.
What do you think's going to happen to you?
I think I'm going to die soon.
[AUDIENCE MURMURS]
OPRAH: And is that OK with you?
No.
But you don't think you can beat it?
I think It's really hard for me to--
It's really hard to beat it.
Especially when I get upset.
And so, do you have a reason to want to beat it?
Because, anybody I know who's ever done drugs,
you have to have something bigger than yourself.
And, you know, I don't know what that would be at 17.
Because at 17 you're still trying
to figure out who you are, and if you like who you are.
Do you like who you are off the drug?
Yes. OPRAH: You do.
- Very much. - Yeah.
And when you look at the pictures
of who you used to be without the drug,
you liked that person?
You like that person, the person you
were becoming without the drug?
Yeah.
Chantel's sister, Courtney, and her mother, Penny are here.
And Penny says she's so desperate to keep Chantel
off meth that she's been locking her in their home 24 hours
a day.
Do you think you're helping by doing that?
At the time, because I know she's safe with me.
Sitting here right now, I've learned so
much more that I didn't know.
OPRAH: Like what?
Well I knew when she was gone the one time her blanket was
missing, and she said there was blood
on it because of somebody else.
Now I just find out that she was that bad,
and I did not know that whole time.
OPRAH: What's been the hardest thing for you?
Every time she walks out the door It's the hardest thing,
'cause I never know if she's coming back.
And when you first found out she was on the drug,
did you think to get help, did you want to--
you know, I feel this from so many parents.
And because you look like the all American girl, correct?
This could be-- this is anybody's
and everybody's daughter.
And so when it happens to you, as a parent
you-- first of all, think It's not
going to happen to you, because she was taking a completely
different path in her life.
Right?
And so, what was your first reaction to do?
Well when someone had brought it up to me, I had her tested.
Right after that, about an hour later, they
called me with the results of the UA
and said she tested positive for meth.
OK, OK.
And Courtney, as her sister, what has this done to you?
It's horrible.
When she did it Monday, I got a phone call from my mom,
crying, telling me that I needed to get over there,
and I thought she was dead.
OPRAH: And you heard her say that she expects to die.
And how does that make you feel?
It's unexplainable.
Oh, well, I want to introduce you to Debra Jay.
Debra Jay, come on up here, Debra.
Debra Jay is an addiction specialist
who has worked at some of the leading treatment
centers in the country.
And she met with Penny and Courtney last night.
What do you want to say Debra?
Chantel, I'm here for one reason and one reason only.
Your family loves you so much and they wrote some letters
and they want to read those to you now.
OK?
And your sister is going to begin.
Dear Chantel, you are my sister.
How can I possibly explain how much I love you?
Like all sisters, we would fight about clothes, talk about boys,
we shared our lives with each other.
You're such a kind and gentle person,
you have so much love to give, and I
thank you for all the things you've ever done for me.
I've seen how the drug has changed you
and I know It's not the real you.
I know you never wanted this for yourself,
to lose you is beyond anything I can imagine.
Without you, I don't know where I would be.
If it were me, I know you'd want to do
everything possible to save my life
and you'd never give up on me.
I want you to be my best friend and be it my future forever.
We have so many good memories that we have yet to make.
I want you to know I will always stand by you.
Will you please accept the help we're offering you today?
Love, your sister, Courtney.
OPRAH: And your letter, Penny.
Chantel, from the moment you came into this world
and I looked down at your beautiful face,
my heart was filled with so much joy and love.
You have a special calling with children,
you have a magical personality and I'm so proud of that.
I fear-- I feel like the times we don't know where you are
or what you're doing is a fear and pain I can never explain
to another person, how much it aches inside believing
I may never see you again.
I cannot bear life without you.
I tell you often what a bright future I see for you.
People love you and are drawn to loving you.
I love you and I will always stand by you.
Sometimes, it is those who experience the most pain,
the pain I see you go through, who get past it
and do the greatest things.
Please accept the help we are offering you.
I love you very much, mom.
Well, I don't know you, I just met you today.
But I will say this, that you do represent
every mother's daughter, every father's daughter.
And when anybody who receives notoriety, or attention,
or fame such as you are right now,
it speaks to the possibility of what can happen.
And I want you to know that your life is bigger than any drug.
Your life is bigger and more powerful
than even methamphetamine.
There is a calling on your life--
[APPLAUSE]
There is a calling on your life.
And I don't know why It's you, and why you're here today,
and why our paths have crossed.
But there is a calling on your life
that is bigger than you know, and It's certainly
bigger than methamphetamine.
And what I know is that you are not your past--
you are not your past, you are not all the things
that have happened to you.
You are the possibility of what can be,
that's what you represent.
And you represent that for everybody.
[APPLAUSE]
You are bigger than this drug.
You may not know it, you can't-- you can't see that right now,
but you are bigger than this drug.
And God has a dream that's bigger for you
than you could ever imagine.
And I'm asking you, are you willing to accept the help
that your family wants to offer you today,
are you willing to accept that?
Yes.
OPRAH: OK.
[APPLAUSE]
CHANTEL: I love you.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
So this is-- this is the deal.
This is not going to be an easy journey for you,
but you are going to represent--
for all the world that says that it cannot be done,
you are 17 years old and you are going to represent the power
that shows that it can be done.
We have arranged for you to leave right now--
right now with Janice Styer, who is a counselor
from the Caron Foundation.
It's an inpatient treatment center
in Pennsylvania where thousands of people
have turned their lives around.
And they agreed to provide you with the treatment,
your bag is packed, and the car is waiting outside to take
you right now to the airport.
And we will be praying for you, we
know you're going to do it because you
represent the possibility.
[APPLAUSE]
OPRAH: You.
All right, let's go, let's go, let's go.
Thank you.
I'll be calling you.
CHANTEL: OK.
OPRAH: I'll be calling you.