By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
GLENN told his mum he was off to a job interview, but he was lying.
In reality the drug-addicted Glenn was heading to front court after being charged with dealing marijuana and assaulting a police officer.
The year was 2008 and Glenn’s life of wild drug abuse and criminal dealing had finally led him to the edge of despair.
“Obviously my family knew I was up to bad stuff but I wasn’t going to listen to anyone,” Glenn, from Casey, said.
“No matter how many times people told me, I had to actually go through it myself.”
Glenn received a one-month jail sentence but ultimately served an 18-month intensive corrections order, in which he was required to undertake community work twice a week, anger management once a week, as well as a cognitive skills program.
Glenn, who is now a 28-year-old personal trainer who runs the Essential Health and Fitness gym in Hallam, saw his life heading in only one direction unless he made an effort to change.
And he did, giving up drugs and dealing not long after he was arrested.
Glenn’s reform culminated in creating the Youth YOU program last year to help and guide drug-addicted and disenchanted youths.
Glenn started smoking weed when he was about 16 years old and it wasn’t long before he started dealing it.
Then he hit the “harder stuff” after he finished high school – everything from pills to ice.
Selling drugs soon became a full-time job for Glenn who found himself pulling in roughly $8000 a week from it.
He’d then spend $5000 a week just to satisfy his drug habit.
“If I hadn’t had the lessons I’d definitely be in jail because I’m an all or nothing person,” Glenn said.
“My drug dealing was a full-time job, I took that seriously. I’d wake up early to drop off drugs, it was really serious.”
Glenn’s not over exaggerating the plight he was in.
The young man found himself trapped in a world run by criminal dealers and defined solely by drugs and money.
“You’re dealing with drug dealers, you’re dealing with people who hadn’t slept for long.
“You’re dealing with people that… the money’s really important for them,” Glenn said.
“Obviously, they have bills, they’ve got families, if people owe you money and they need to pay these people… it got very serious.”
And while Glenn came through the other side, many of his friends didn’t.
“Yeah, I’ve lost close people to me,” he said.
“Drug overdoses… close people… and they’ve passed away.”
But despite the tragedy, and the anguish, Glenn focuses on looking forward. He acknowledges that the kids involved in the Youth YOU Program keep coming back because he can relate to their situation.
Glenn, now engaged to his fiance Kiren, has been there.
“Everything I go through to me is a blessing because, obviously, I wouldn’t be able to help people without it,” he said.
“It fuels me as well. People I’ve known that have gone to jail, or had drug overdoses, that gives me more fuel to keep going.
“I’m always reflective on how far I’ve come, and that’s why I push the kids as well.
“They need to know that it is possible.”
To contact Glenn, visit www.youthyouprogram.com.
