Kildare woman: 'I was homeless and on crack; now I'm visiting schools to tell my story'

A mother from Newbridge Co. Kildare has started doing school visits around the county to share her story and inspire young people to stay away from drugs.

33-year-old Antoinette Foley is the youngest of eight and was once addicted to heroin and crack cocaine and homeless on the streets.

Today, she is an inspiration to hundreds of people in Ireland addicted to drugs, alcohol and struggling due to homelessness and she shares how a random act of kindness from a local shop owner had helped her turn her life around.

Antoinette has recently started going to schools around Kildare to share her story to the students to show them how drugs can affect someone's life and to warn them not to use drugs. She told us her story.

"I'm showing pictures that's not just made up; I'm talking from experience. I'm going to schools to teach students not to do drugs, not to do drink, it's not just a one weekend thing. Not many people survive it. So basically I'm doing it to help people," the young woman said in an exclusive interview.

Antoinette said that she also gives talks in public libraries and said that afterwards people come up to her to tell her how much her story has touched them.

"Even the students yesterday came up crying and put their arms around me and they broke down crying and everything because they know what drugs can do because some of them have family members that are doing drugs," Antoinette said.

Antoinette's story is a truly inspiring one, as she explains how she was once addicted to drugs and homeless, but now has her own home in Newbridge and recently published her own book.

"I'm clean. I have my own home. I brought out a book called The Hawk Against the Dove. I'm planning on bringing that book to the school visits and talks. I am hoping to go all around the country.

"I'm hoping to get into more schools to do talks because if I had seen the same pictures and a person had to come up to talk to me like the way I am doing, I would have loved it."

Antoinette's life took a turn for the worst when she ran away with the father of her kids and the relationship started going bad.

"Then when the kids went, it all started from there. I was in that situation then for a few years. Then I met up with
another boy and I was with him for a few years and I was homeless, begging on the streets. It was hard".

Antoinette said that her life changed for the better when a local shop owner and his wife approached her one day.

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"With the help of that man and the support of some lovely people, I built my life back and also my faith had a lot to do with it.

"If I needed food he would help that way or he advised me that this is not the life that my mother would have wanted because my mother is four years unto God now. He knew that there was something worth saving in me.

"Like I'm the youngest of eight, so I had no family to support me or nothing. My mother was dead. My father is in sick care. So like he's the father I never had."

Antoinette's advice to other people is "don't do drugs and drink. I'm a girl that's talking from experience. It'll take everything if you leave it.

"And never look down on anyone unless you're giving them a hand up. No one wants to wake up one morning and say 'I want to be like this.' And I think they should talk; parents, friends should talk with each other more, sit down more, instead of running to drugs and stuff like I did to hide my emotions, to hide the hurt.

"But today, thank God, I'm drug-free. I'm doing good. I'm helping others. And it makes me happy to see other people doing good."

Antoinette's book is about her journey of drug addiction and shows pictures of what she looked like when she was on drugs.

"You'll see pictures of me when I was an addict. If I'd have seen pictures that are in my book, I would have never put a cigarette, never mind a drug or a drink to my mouth.

"I brought it out to help families, to show families, even if they are down a bad road, they have a choice. They can stop or react and turn. It's never too late to change your life. It's never too late.

"And always put your faith in God. My faith in God got me through a lot. And I did it for my kids. I love them and I did it for them as well. I don't want my son and daughter to go down a road I went down. Of just one night going out or walking around with bad company, or some evening you're angry and do something stupid.

"This is why I am a mother. It's only now I realise what my poor mother was probably thinking or worrying about me".