Winnipeg real estate agent speaks out about own addiction in hopes of helping others

Derrick Wiebe isn’t your stereotypical drug addict, he’s a successful real estate agent with a loving family.

But for years Wiebe battled with the powerful grip of cocaine.

“It was something that really helped me shut down, turn my brain off, stop the racing in my head,” he said.

Eighteen months ago Wiebe almost lost his battle with addiction when he attempted to commit suicide.

“Things were bad, I was hanging in the bathroom. It was pretty bad,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Things were bad, I was hanging in the bathroom. It was pretty bad," he said.

His father rescued him before it was too late. Weeks later Wiebe was on his way to the Edgewood Treatment Centre in Nanaimo, B.C.

“I’m not living and breathing without that treatment centre in Nanaimo, that’s how important it is,” he said.

Wiebe spent four months there getting treatment and help. He wants others to have the same chance and is hoping the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre can open up at the Vimy Arena.

“I feel obligated, I feel like I owe it to society to speak up to this, what happened was a complete miracle. I’m not supposed to be here here,” he said.

The real estate agent even lives blocks from the proposed site and wants others in his community not to fear the facility.

“I wouldn’t be coming out and saying this had I had any fear at all if something like this could be in any way negative to my community,” he said.

St. Charles Councillor Shawn Dobson has been vocal in his disapproval of the potential for a treatment centre opening up in his ward, as have other members of the community.

Vimy Arena was declared surplus to the city’s needs nearly five years ago, and the Bruce Oake Foundation expressed its interest in using the property as a treatment centre in 2017.

The sale still needs to be approved by Council Thursday before it’s a done deal.