- 6 months ago
Robert's history of incarceration due to drug addiction has fractured his family. With only 48 hours before Robert's release, his brother Brandon is determined to confront him about his addiction.
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00:00you guys are coming in here throwing shots at me you're trying to say I'm throwing shots at you
00:16son nah bro I'm here for you because I love you that's why I'm in this building what's you
00:23everything right now let me out of here now let me out of here Robert get the away from me
00:31for a lot of inmates jail is a revolving door
00:47we've learned that inmates without any family support are more likely to return to jail
00:55turn around put your hands behind your back I'm scared
00:58I regret doing this
01:11you need some change or there is no more support after this enough is enough
01:16I'm in prison with violent convicted criminals you have to set yourself in war zone mentality
01:29I'm going to go into a panic attack and need to be at the hospital
01:40this is your lifeline this is the person who's going to help you stay out of jail
01:45for these inmates this is their last chance this is the opportunity to mend that broken bond
01:52and prove to their family members that they're going to get it right this time
01:55you have to get it together man
01:58this is my last chance this is my last chance with you to be honest
02:12you want to be the cause of death for your mom you know what I mean
02:14you're lying to me
02:16I don't know how much more I can get
02:19my name is Brandon Gatz I'm about to spend the next 48 hours here walking my brother Robert's shoes as an inmate and to find out if I can allow him back into my life
02:26my name is Brandon Gatz I'm about to spend the next 48 hours here walking my brother Robert's shoes as an inmate and to find out if I can allow him back into my life
02:33my name is Brandon Gatz I'm about to spend the next 48 hours here walking my brother Robert's shoes as an inmate and to find out if I can allow him back into my life
02:48Robert is my half brother we share the same dad my brother Robert he's about 10 years older than I am
03:07so growing up we didn't really hang out too much because of the age difference he would come over to
03:15my dad's place and he would spend a couple nights just to hang out and he would terrorize me chase me
03:21around in Halloween costumes watch your head we would do wrestling matches we were fans of the WWE
03:28to laugh with him those are the most fond moments with my brother
03:33I do remember one time his mom picked me up to go visit my brother Robert and then juvenile
03:45detention center that was a moment where I got new like my brother was in trouble it's crazy too
03:56because he grew up in a nice neighborhood and I grew up in the hood surrounded by addiction
04:01so instead of going down that path I joined the army definitely made me to where I am today but
04:11throughout all these years you know Robert having been in and out of jail battling addiction he's done
04:22a number of you know backstabbing things to the family occupation machine operator back in 2016 I was
04:31living with my other brother Nathan he just bought his first house and after a few months of living there
04:37Robert move in with us do you want to add any emergency contact sure first couple of months he was doing
04:44amazing and then just out of nowhere he changed and then slips right back in to his addiction issues when
04:52Robert's using there's a completely different side of them okay sir please stand on the white footprint back
04:57there you know where you're stealing from us lying to our face about it look at this camera right
05:03here after he stole from me I had to cut him off it's been about eight years since I've seen Robert
05:10have a seat right here I would like to have a relationship with my brother and I love him you
05:17know but it's not a normal thing to not talk to or see a family member for that period of time
05:24hopefully we can you know we can our relationship and have a relationship with your chin and hover over
05:30it on both sides but he has you know to change his lifestyle okay we're gonna go straight into that
05:37room right in here all right step behind the door and you're gonna hand me over your phone all right
05:49what you gotta do with your hands you gotta go this way going through this in process feels a little
06:07unhumane in a sense you know I do get it you know for their safety you know they got to do these you
06:13know extreme things you know to make sure I'm not caring anything I'm sacrificing a lot to be here for
06:21Robert you're gonna step over here so if he doesn't have a good game plan but to try to stay in the right
06:27track of sobriety then I can't accept that I won't allow him to be in my life this is your last chance
06:37buddy if you don't step up now then you're losing a brother
06:41can you grab me the boom
06:53clean the block
06:57get to work right
06:59my name is Robert Gatz and my brother is Brandon I'm in for shoplifting and violations of probation and
07:09stuff like that assault and battery I have a lot of different charges not happy to say
07:14I started off going to juvenile jail at an early age like 14 to 18 dealing with being on probation with
07:24drug tests and have them check in probation and I remember that vividly those were like the hardest
07:29times for me in the juvenile jails yo you don't got um you don't got an orange one in my teens I
07:34was doing ecstasy and like cocaine and stuff like that as like a party but I didn't start using like
07:39heavy drugs until I turned 28 I was a stay-at-home dad had a buddy come over he was prescribed
07:45Percocet I didn't know what they were gonna do to me I just knew that when I first sniffed a 15
07:51milligram Percocet it made me feel everything that I wanted to feel and it's just it was like it was
07:57awesome with some jailhouse taffy you know and it just became you know too expensive and I found
08:06heroin the high street taffy I'm more addicted to the than drugs dude I have a beautiful little boy
08:14he's had a rough ride after his fifth birthday he had a seizure that really just grabbed a hold of
08:22my heart you know so like when he got sick I just I became more heavily into the drugs and just like
08:27tried to numb myself but it didn't work not done oh gooey my drug addiction has affected my family in so
08:38many ways you know I've I've lost my family with my son and my kids mother I gave that away my mom
08:45bringing me to detoxes running to give me money running to pick me up making her life trouble you
08:50know I have no contact with my brothers I missed having my brother Brandon around dearly been close
08:59to about eight years since I saw Brandon nothing hurts my heart worse because there's nothing more
09:04than a brother's love you know brothers always seem to stick together and I've just been MIA I love it
09:10I can't get enough of it mama mia so I'm hoping we can build a better brothership again
09:18I'm nervous heading over to the pot I've never experienced this before and I joined the military
09:35to you know fight for our freedom and now I'm about to get mine pretty much stripped away from me for the
09:40next 48 hours this is definitely nerve-wracking for sure
09:43but I grew up in the streets and in the hood my dad was a drug addict constantly in and out of jail
10:02I've been around a lot of lot of bad people you know and the drugs gangs violence robberies
10:09let's go up to the desk get scanned in
10:12come on this way boss so I know I gotta watch my back and so I gotta you know protect myself in
10:24order to survive in this type of environment so I'm nervous for that
10:29a little overwhelming so I don't really belong here this is in my scenery all the eyes were kind
10:39of on me seem like they're all excited that they're getting a new face in a sense I don't know if that's
10:44a good thing or a bad thing I have two days with Robert to try to convince him to get on the right
10:52track I just hope this works I just don't really want all this to be wasting my time if nothing gets
10:58out of this it's my first day here and ready to pack up and leave this place is not it it's very uncomfortable
11:19here as I'm checking my surroundings I need to really keep my head on a swivel you know just be
11:27protective I'm nervous you know I've never experienced this before so I don't know what's
11:33to come you know I don't know how the people are on all the routine so definitely nerve-wracking for
11:40short excuse me I can do a phone call so I can just what's the procedure write down all your information
11:49right here this is like to I'm contacting yeah thank you I'm good man yeah I appreciate it though they
11:57try to offer me stuff I'm good because you know if I do take it they expect it in return you know I
12:04don't want enemies you know because I don't have any real true connections in here no I've got to
12:19protect myself I can't just trust anyone in here but I'm just here to try to help my brother out and
12:24I'm not here to make friends I don't care I'm here solely out for my brother and hopefully get through
12:30this time with them I'm here to see Robert Gatz Robert Dr. Jeff nice to meet you mind if we get a
12:55little private time alright alright Robert really nice to meet you tell me a little bit about
13:08yourself what are you doing here I got addicted to drugs like a later age like 28 what kind of drugs
13:16opiates mostly Percocet stuff like that you know I progressed to heroin how did you get into it in the first
13:23place boredom man I used to sell a lot of drugs so how did how did you get into selling drugs it
13:29sounds like your I've always been upbringing your your life my brain was great you know I mean my mother
13:36was great you know she did everything she could I just I just lashed out more to the streets it was
13:41weird what what was life like for her seeing you through this addiction oh I put so much on my mother
13:49every time I needed money I call her every time I call her it was only she felt like an ATM she didn't
13:55feel like my mother and when she didn't give me money I'd give her you know a hard time or I'd give
14:00her a stupid story it sucks so this has taken a terrible toll on your mother it's been it's been
14:06terrible and tell me about Brandon where did his life go compared to yours he went off to the army
14:13when he graduated high school so he never got into the drugs no he's never done so what what
14:21happened between the two of you I haven't seen him in a good 10 years what happened you know I actually
14:27stole some money from him yeah so because you because you were still using yeah it's all it's all a dark
14:35path man it's just how did that make you feel it makes me feel terrible because I'm I'm always been my
14:40brother's keeper you know I mean and like I feel lost and empty but you're you're his big brother
14:45yeah I'm the oldest yeah but you're in jail so it must be hard for you to be his keeper if you're in jail
14:51so what do you want from Brandon exactly I just wanted to I don't even know for the truth I just
15:00wanted to at least give me a chance you know to prove myself that I'm sorry and you know I'm still
15:06here what is your plan for staying sober most people take the path of a sober house I just
15:17don't want to hear addiction every day and deal with hearing drugs and I just want to go back to
15:23being normal and try to kick this whole lifestyle and leave it in the past man everybody has their own
15:29way of dealing with addiction and mine is I just don't want to be around it at all what is the
15:35longest time that you've been sober in those 10 years right here right here it's a vegan jail
15:43five months I'm very very concerned that he has his personal way of trying to get through this drug
15:51addiction instead of the traditional way including a sober house that is the correct way perhaps the
15:59only way to save his life and stay sober everything's on the line this time because you know these drugs
16:08kill so if you're ready to do this work let's do it for sure hi guys how are you good how are you
16:25good my name is Jessenia Gonzalez I'm actually your brother's counselor I'm gonna be meeting with you is
16:29that okay yeah that's fine okay great go ahead and take a seat so what do you hope to gain from
16:44this experience what do you hope to see out of your brother pretty much my end goal is to rekindle
16:51our brotherly relationship and also to you know figure out what is his plan in terms of his sobriety
16:59Robert was in a 28-day substance use program unfortunately he did have six absences you
17:07only allowed it one excuse and for that reason he was terminated from the program kind of sucks to
17:14hear because you know he's in jail you have nothing but time so for him to not take advantage of that
17:18it's like slap in my face where I'm you know can I'm my comfort zone to come in here to try to help
17:24you and you're over here and I'll come today and I encourage you to press them on it yeah you know oh
17:31I will in terms of a solid recovery plan it doesn't seem like we have that yet I've had some conversation
17:38with your brother and unfortunately it sounds like his home plan is to go back to his apartment it sounds
17:46like whatever was going on in that apartment he is very set on going back yeah same exact stuff that I'm
17:52hearing today I heard this eight years ago and clearly it's not working now are you aware um what
18:00his substance of choice was like like I'm pretty sure he was on heroin he does identify that he did
18:07use heroin but the drug of choice that he identified was on fentanyl as well
18:12I knew he was doing heroin but to learn that he was doing fentanyl it was like a big shock to hear
18:20that knowing how severe and bad fentanyl is and how much of a little dose can kill you and he was out
18:25there chasing that it's like he was chasing his own death wish but there are things that we can do to
18:32help encourage him to stay on the track of sobriety okay um we have AISS which is our all-inclusive
18:38support services we would really encourage him to connect with on the day of his release okay to
18:44help get him counseling services set up any type of support for AA or NA meetings that he may like to
18:50go to in the time being you know and what I would like for you to do while you're here is kind of put
18:55his feet to the fire a little bit yeah as mad I might be at him you know he's my brother I still love
19:01him yeah I still want the best for him you know but he has to want it just as bad as I want it
19:06so without that then there is going to be no relationship we're losing time we only have two
19:12days left before he gets released yeah it's not good to hear Robert doesn't have a plan it makes
19:19me think that you know he's still in denial of his addiction all right well it was nice meeting you
19:25as well so I have two days you know with Robert to really try to convince him of getting a plan going
19:33because if not you know it's just a death sentence pleading
19:36so I miss having my brother around dearly nothing nothing hurts my heart worse cause
19:41I miss having my brother around dearly.
20:02Nothing hurts my heart worse
20:04because there's nothing more than a brother's love.
20:07Brothers always need to stick together, and I've been absent.
20:12The most important thing to me is to hopefully just try and gain his trust back.
20:18If he feels the need to let go of me, I understand, and I can't hate him for it, I never will.
20:25But I'm grateful that he's willing to give me a chance.
20:34He was a little nerve-wracking, seeing my brother after all these years
20:39not good under these circumstances, but that's how it has to be, then so be it.
20:45Because I do love my brother, but if he can't do the work,
20:49then I've got to protect myself and I've got to back away.
20:52What's up, Convict?
21:00What's up, buddy?
21:01What's going on?
21:02Good to see you.
21:03Yeah, you too.
21:06I look good in bobo's.
21:07All right.
21:08Some dollar store conversions.
21:10Oh, yeah.
21:11How you been?
21:12I'm all right, man.
21:13You know, better than other times, you know?
21:15This place ain't it, man.
21:19This place ain't it.
21:21I've been here for 24 hours, and I'm ready to leave.
21:25Gentlemen, how are you?
21:26Good to see you, brother.
21:28Good to see you.
21:29How's it going, dog?
21:30Good to see you, Brandon.
21:30You as well.
21:31So you guys have been catching up?
21:33Yeah.
21:34You look pretty teary-eyed.
21:36What's going on, Robert?
21:38I know, man.
21:39It's just this crazy, man, that life has gone by.
21:42You know, life's going by, and I'm just at a standstill.
21:49The drugs, man, they just put me in an emergency break, you know?
21:54Time waits for no one, my brother.
21:55Right, right.
21:56You know, and we are against the clock.
21:58We talked about this.
22:01You're out of here in, what, two days?
22:06And he ain't got a plan.
22:08I don't got the best plan, but, you know, what you got going on?
22:12I just can't, I'm just going to stay away from the whole
22:15get a job to fill my time, because that's not what I used to do.
22:19I used to, you know, just sell drugs and steal and support my habit
22:23and, you know, change my whole, my whole outlook on everything.
22:28Okay, how are you going to do that?
22:32What are you doing now while you're here?
22:36I'm not going to sit there and say I did 12 groups, because I didn't.
22:39Well, what have you done?
22:40I've done a group.
22:41One group?
22:42One group.
22:43Okay.
22:44Have you done the 28-day program?
22:46I was in it, yeah.
22:48Wait a minute.
22:49But did you complete it?
22:50Wait, wait, wait, wait.
22:51No, I didn't complete it.
22:52I didn't go.
22:53Why not?
22:55Because I'm ready to get out of here.
22:56But it starts in here, you know?
22:58I understand, man.
22:58Like, you got nothing but time in here.
23:00That's all you've got.
23:01Born-ass time.
23:03What has you so frustrated and angry, Robert?
23:07You guys are coming in here throwing shots at me.
23:10Ah, you think so?
23:11You guys are throwing shots at me.
23:12You think we're picking on you?
23:13I'm not.
23:14You're not picking on me throwing shots at me.
23:16You think your brother's throwing shots at you?
23:18I've missed a couple groups.
23:19Sorry to say, but really, like, it's not helping me.
23:25You know what I mean?
23:25So then why don't you speak up about that?
23:27It's not going to help, man.
23:27So then why keep coming back, then?
23:29I haven't been coming back.
23:31I've been here one time, Brandon, since 2006.
23:33What do you mean I've visited you in juvie, bro?
23:35What are you talking about?
23:3728 years ago, Brandon?
23:38It doesn't matter.
23:38It's been the same 28 years, son.
23:41Like, come on, man.
23:44Like, this ain't...
23:44Like, you're my brother, son.
23:46I love you.
23:46That's why I'm in this...
23:47I'm still in this building.
23:49What's you?
23:50And you got me doing this trying to say I'm throwing shots at you, son?
23:55You're my brother, son.
23:56I love you.
23:57That's why I'm in this dumpstool, in this building.
23:59What's you?
24:03F***ing with me right now.
24:04I'm so over this.
24:06Let me f***ing out of here now.
24:08We need you to be clean and sober.
24:11Stop, all right?
24:11Robert.
24:11Hold back in there.
24:12Let me f***ing out of here.
24:13Robert.
24:14Let me out of here.
24:15Robert.
24:15Let me f***ing out of here.
24:17Robert.
24:18Just get the f***ing away from me, Julian.
24:27F***ing all this.
24:30Like, f***ing all you guys.
24:32Yeah, that's right.
24:33Here, take this.
24:35I want out of here, yo.
24:37I'm ready to go, yo.
24:38Like, I'm over this place.
24:40This place sucks.
24:41This place sucks, man.
24:50It definitely pissed me off that Robert likes to play the victim.
24:54And I'm here for you.
24:58I'm here, you know, to help you.
25:01I'm here to save you.
25:02But for you to say I'm throwing shots at you, is f***ing.
25:05So you're telling me I'm doing all this for nothing?
25:06I just spent the last day and a half in jail for no reason?
25:10Like, you're telling me I'm just wasting my time here?
25:12They felt like, you know, slapped a face to me because of what I'm sacrificing.
25:34I went out of my comfort zone, getting in this jumpsuit, coming into here.
25:38And now I have to spend the next day with him.
25:42You know, I feel like I've got to protect myself and I've got to take a step back.
25:46Kind of like I just did this for nothing, if nothing gets out of this.
25:50Can I put the microphone on?
25:52I can't hear the conversation that's going to happen right now without the microphone.
25:55I don't see the purpose of it.
25:57What's that?
25:57I don't see the purpose of it.
25:59I mean, it's your brother's in here to have the conversation with you inside you.
26:03It doesn't, the purpose of putting the microphone on.
26:05I feel so bad for not seeing my brother in, you know, eight years.
26:11You know, he took the time out of his life to help me and, you know, step back into my life after he didn't have to.
26:19And it means a lot.
26:22What?
26:23I didn't even know I was freaking open.
26:27I live upstairs, but you can come eat with me.
26:30All right.
26:31I'm here, so I might as well put my best foot forward and do as best as I can to try to change his mind and make sure he has a game plan.
26:40You want somebody to tell me what these are mainly for?
26:42For the water.
26:43I don't drink that shit.
26:44Because, you know, if he doesn't, he's going to wind back up here or dead.
26:48Believe me, listen, you could have worse, so be grateful for what's here right now.
26:53There's a lot more worse meals.
26:55I heard.
26:57Listen, man, I'm glad that you came in.
26:59I'm sorry.
26:59I don't want to hear a sorry.
27:04I just want to.
27:05I just want actions.
27:06You need to have some type of game plan.
27:09Whether you understand it or not.
27:11You're just out here doing whatever for you is not the right answer, and that leads you back in here or in a grave.
27:19You know what I mean?
27:20I appreciate it.
27:20That's the whole reason for me trying to do this, you know, even though I haven't talked to City in years, you know, I just still wanted to, you know, present myself physically to show you and prove to you that, like, I still care for you, I still love you, and I got hope for you.
27:38I'll be out in two days, and, you know, maybe we can still keep in touch.
27:42You know, I'm hoping that we can.
27:45Because I need the most positive people in my life that I can get.
27:49Should be able to sit down, have crappy food together, it feels good.
27:54Because I'm talking to him as Robert.
27:55He's sober.
27:56He's not high.
27:58So he's listening to me.
27:59Gotta follow through.
28:00Just stay consistent.
28:02You know what I mean?
28:03This place, like I said earlier, it's not that I didn't want to do those groups, dude.
28:07I just got to my head where I said, f*** it, I'm just going to kick back and not do anything.
28:11But that's where I f***ed up.
28:13Because my mind started wandering again.
28:15Yeah, I get that, but gotta get sober.
28:17If Robert, you know, doesn't change, then, you know, then our relationship doesn't change for the better.
28:24I love you, man.
28:25Love you.
28:27It kind of just stays where it is, where I just move on with my life.
28:30Pop two.
28:32He's not even doing the work.
28:34It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to my family either.
28:37Here for a visit?
28:53I am.
28:54Perfect.
28:56All right.
28:57Miss, who are you here to see today?
28:59Robert Gatz.
29:00I am Kimberly, and I'm Robert's mom.
29:03Perfect.
29:12If you mind just putting your arms out at your side, I'm just going to...
29:15I'm here today in jail to try to get through it to my son.
29:23If he doesn't make the changes to get sober, and if I don't see him do what he needs to do
29:33to be productive in life, then I can't be there for him anymore.
29:40So this is the last resort to me.
29:43This is it.
29:44This is all I've got left.
29:46Jeff, how are you?
29:59Robert, how you doing, buddy?
30:01Good, man.
30:01Nice to see you.
30:01Good to see you.
30:02Brandon.
30:03How's it going, man?
30:03How are you, man?
30:08Well, boys, here we are.
30:10It's now or never.
30:12Robert, that was a lot in our last meeting.
30:17How are you doing?
30:18I'm good, man.
30:19I had a long night to think about my life and my future.
30:23Can you share a little bit of what the process was like for you last night?
30:28I was in my head a lot.
30:30At first, I was angry.
30:32I don't know at what.
30:33Myself, mostly.
30:35Then after a while, I calmed down.
30:3712 hours, you're out of here.
30:40But first, I wanted to ask you, Robert, you are the big brother.
30:45What separated the two of you?
30:47He had me go to the store or something, and I took 60 bucks from him or something.
30:52I mean, what happened?
30:54What happened?
30:55I don't even remember.
30:56I was sleeping, and he came in my room, took my card, and I got a text message saying a couple hundred dollars.
31:02I was taking a .
31:03I thought you sent me to the store to get money.
31:05He came back into my room, and you can see that on my face that I was kind of pissed off.
31:12And you say you shouldn't have your pen as your birthday.
31:18Either way, I did it.
31:19You know what I mean?
31:20Yeah.
31:20No, either way.
31:21I'm not going to sit there and deny it.
31:22So, that bridge was burned with your brother, but you've also burned a lot of bridges with other family members, too, haven't you?
31:36Yes, sir.
31:37I've hurt my mom.
31:39How did you burn bridges with your mom?
31:41Just excuse after excuse, and, like, not being a father, man.
31:47Like, that's just the most hurtful thing to her.
31:50Robert and I's connection was very good when he was small.
31:57He was the apple of my eye.
31:59Until he got into middle school, something changed in him.
32:03He started getting himself in a lot of trouble, breaking into cars, things like that.
32:07From 16 to 20, he was in the system.
32:14But it really escalated when he was in his 20s with the drugs.
32:21Robert understands that he's put me through hell and back and then back again.
32:27I've gone to places and neighborhoods that I have no desire to be in and sat in the car and asked me for that quick $20 to get drugs and yelling at myself, why am I doing this?
32:42After all these years, I don't know why I keep trying to save him and get him out of the messes that he's in and pick up the pieces.
32:52But I've come to that conclusion that I don't want to do it anymore.
32:55When Robert gets out, I need him to have a plan or I have to let go.
33:04So you want to be there for your son?
33:06Yes, sir.
33:07And you want to show your mother that you can do this.
33:11But you need her to help you, too.
33:14She's helped enough, man.
33:16And that's the thing, too.
33:18I want to get sobriety more for her than anything.
33:21All right.
33:21Maybe we have an opportunity to do that right now.
33:25But as a matter of fact, Kim, why don't you come on in?
33:34Hi.
33:38Give your mother a hug, man.
33:39I do.
33:42It's OK.
33:44It's OK.
33:45Go ahead.
33:46I can't do this.
33:58I can't do this right now.
34:01Oh, man.
34:05Stop crying.
34:07It's OK.
34:07It's OK to cry.
34:08It's OK, brother.
34:10It's OK, brother.
34:12Man.
34:15Hi, Ma.
34:16Hi, Rob.
34:18Your son really wants to be sober.
34:24Doesn't really have a plan.
34:26He wants to do it for Brandon.
34:28He wants to do it for his son.
34:30But he wants to do it for you, too.
34:33All those years that you felt that you enabled him.
34:39So, Kim, this is it.
34:41It is.
34:42It is it.
34:43I worry about my own health now.
34:45I've been worrying about you, worrying about you,
34:48worrying about you.
34:49And now I worry about myself.
34:52And I don't want to do this anymore.
34:54I don't either.
34:55This is not the relationship that I'm supposed to have with my son.
34:59Mm-hmm.
35:00I want to see you sober.
35:02I just need you to get your s*** together.
35:04I really do.
35:07So, let's talk about what we're going to do.
35:11What you're going to do.
35:12And we're going to support you.
35:14And we're going to love you through it.
35:17There's got to be a plan.
35:19And there's got to be follow-through.
35:21I think I'm going to go to a program.
35:24When I get out, I'm going to call and get into another program.
35:29I want you to look your mother in the eyes
35:32and tell her you are ready to do a treatment plan.
35:36I'm going to go to another program.
35:38When I get out, I'm going to call.
35:39I'm going to go.
35:41I'm scared to go home.
35:43I know.
35:44You know what I'm going to do.
35:45You know what I'm going to do.
35:47You know what I'm going to do.
35:48I know.
35:51So, you're going to get recommendations upon your release.
35:59Are you going to follow those?
36:02For sure.
36:04100%.
36:05What if he doesn't follow through?
36:08What happens?
36:09There's a couple of things that's going to happen.
36:11If he doesn't follow through,
36:12he's going to either wind back up here,
36:14six feet under.
36:16And another thing is,
36:18I can't surround myself with that.
36:20So, you're willing to walk away?
36:21Yeah.
36:22I would have to protect myself.
36:26Kim?
36:27I have to let go at this point.
36:30Okay?
36:33There's got to be a plan.
36:34There's got to be a plan.
36:38Brandon, I really got to ask you,
36:41are you going to be there
36:43when Robert gets out?
36:46It's all really falls on him.
36:49So, Robert, you got that.
36:55It's okay, man.
36:57Yeah, I know.
36:57All right.
37:00Come on.
37:02Come on.
37:04You're going to do this, right?
37:11All right.
37:12Thanks, guys.
37:15Go ahead, brother.
37:26All right, man.
37:27I love you, man.
37:29Thank you for coming.
37:29Love you.
37:30Absolutely.
37:31All right, boy.
37:32I love you, man.
37:32All right.
37:33I love you.
37:33Don't forget about me.
37:42The good stuff,
37:43they're definitely here.
37:44He wants to get a sponsor
37:46while he's in these walls.
37:48But once he gets out there
37:49with all those temptations,
37:50you know,
37:51who knows what's to happen.
37:52Take a step in that shower for me.
37:54All right.
37:56I'm leaving here
37:56knowing
37:57I did the best that I could
37:59to try to help him
38:00and be there for him.
38:01But if he's not willing
38:02to do the work,
38:03you know,
38:03I'm not going to be around
38:04watching him kill himself.
38:08I just don't really want
38:09all this to be kind of a waste.
38:10It's all I care about.
38:11This is it, guys.
38:23This is it.
38:24No more of this
38:25I wasn't too sure about,
38:28you know,
38:28getting out
38:29and being grounded
38:30on my plan,
38:31but I'm pretty positive now
38:32that since I was able
38:33to show my mom
38:34and my brother
38:36I haven't seen in a while,
38:37that it gives me kind of hope
38:38and some faith
38:39that I can do
38:39the right thing,
38:40you know.
38:41All right, brother.
38:42If you need anything.
38:43All right, man.
38:44My plan is just, you know,
38:45go right to aftercare services
38:47and get a counselor
38:48and get set up
38:49for IOP
38:51and therapists
38:52and find AA meetings
38:54and stuff like that.
38:55And I'm going to go
38:56see my family.
38:57See you guys.
38:58All right, brother.
39:00I feel good.
39:01I'm ready to go.
39:02See ya.
39:02This place
39:05kept me sober.
39:06Gave me a second chance,
39:07you know what I mean?
39:08I'm blessed for that.
39:12I've lost a lot.
39:13I've lost a lot of people.
39:14Gave away a lot.
39:15It's time to give me something.
39:20I'm used to doing
39:21the same thing
39:22over and over again
39:23and I'm comfortable with that.
39:24That's all I know.
39:26So what I'm getting ready to do
39:28is a total life change,
39:30you know what I mean?
39:31And it's terrifying to me.
39:33But I know it's possible.
39:36I just hope that
39:36I can hold on to it.
39:40When my brother came in,
39:41I was definitely struggling
39:42with where I was at in my life.
39:44But he put himself here
39:45and he showed up to my needs.
39:47This is your certificate of release
39:48saying you're out of jail.
39:50You are good to go.
39:51Just take your hat off again.
39:52All right, thanks.
39:54In the end,
39:54all we have is family.
39:56So it's like,
39:56there's people out there
39:57that love me still.
39:59Like, why am I going
39:59to throw that away?
40:01And I hope my brother
40:02is waiting for now
40:03to walk off that door.
40:14Yes, sir!
40:15Green man.
40:15Let's do this!
40:16Green man.
40:17Let's do this!
40:18All right.
40:18I'm here today
40:20to show my support
40:22and love for Robert
40:24and help take him
40:25to the AIS-S program.
40:28You know,
40:28it's just day one
40:29or I have to say
40:30day zero.
40:33And you know,
40:33you can start,
40:34you got a little,
40:34you know,
40:35you're building up
40:36your support system.
40:37You got me,
40:38you got his mom,
40:39you got, you know,
40:40that program.
40:41So as long as he stays
40:42in contact
40:43and, you know,
40:44I think he'll be all right.
40:46It's fall, dude.
40:48When I went in,
40:49it was just getting summer.
40:53All right.
40:53All right, dude.
40:57Wish you the best.
40:58You already know,
40:58I'll call you real long.
40:59Wish you the best.
41:00When I get my phone,
41:00I'll call you.
41:01Yeah, you know,
41:02it's going to be hard,
41:02but you got it, you know.
41:04Tunnel vision towards that
41:06and good it.
41:06Thank you, buddy.
41:07You got it, my man.
41:08I love you.
41:08I love you.
41:11A little iffy on
41:12if he was really
41:13going to go through with it,
41:14but, you know,
41:15here we are,
41:16tough road ahead of him,
41:18but I'm a little more hopeful
41:19than I did when I
41:19entered the jail.
41:21Hopefully he can,
41:22you know,
41:22stick to his word
41:23and just stick to the game plan.
41:24That's all we ask.
41:31After his release,
41:32you know,
41:33we stayed in touch.
41:34He called me a few times
41:36and then ran into him
41:37and gave him a ride
41:38to the grocery store.
41:40He seemed that he was still
41:42positive and ready
41:43to take on being sober.
41:46But after not hearing
41:47from him for a month,
41:49I found out the news
41:50that, you know,
41:51he did slip up
41:52and got arrested
41:54or was stealing.
41:56So we forced him
41:57into a rehab facility.
42:00Hopefully this gives him
42:02the help that he needs.
42:03But I don't want to sit here
42:05and say that me doing
42:06the program
42:07was a waste of time
42:08because I don't think so.
42:10Going through this experience
42:12made me realize
42:13that cutting him off
42:15wasn't probably the best.
42:16I definitely want
42:17to be there for him,
42:18you know,
42:19through the good days
42:19and bad days.
42:21And, you know,
42:21it takes a village,
42:23you know,
42:23and in this situation,
42:25it's going to take
42:26a village to get him
42:28to where he needs to be.
42:29To be continued...
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