"Having been clean and sober more than 21 years of my life at this writing, I firmly believe that it was all a part of God's grand plan for me to live while so many had to die... and possibly for two reasons.

I believe the first reason is for me to be able to pass on the message of hope to others still suffering from any addictions.

Once I became capable of understanding that I wasn't just simply weak or crazy, but that I was in fact controlled by an unrelenting disease that wanted me dead, only then was I finally able to make the conscious decision to begin fighting back for my life.

The second reason - to allow me the much needed time to become better equipped, both mentally and spiritually, to finally begin writing about it all in this book. I guess I will never really know.

I do, however, know that if just one single life is altered, or spared from street gangs and or addiction after reading my memoirs, then this book will have truly served its primary purpose for me in its writing period."

~R.F. Maldonado



The Face of Addiction