Jeremy Cross wrote much of his auto-biography with pen and paper while in prison.
Now, the Langley author is sharing his own journey 鈥� from the depths of addiction to the triumphs of recovery 鈥� with the release of that 176-page book called "My Lost Life: The Fall to Addiction & Rise to Recovery."
Cross said the memoir is not just a story of him hitting rock bottom in his seven-year battle with addiction on the streets of Vancouver 鈥� his drugs of choice being fentanyl and crystal meth. His book is about rising from all the horrors he encountered with a sense of hope, strength, and what he calls a renewed purpose.
The D.W. Poppy Secondary grad, now 31, hopes his book 鈥� his story 鈥� will become a television adaptation on Netflix "or something like that," he said.
Cross wants it to take off, not for the personal notoriety, but with the hope it can educate and raise awareness by showing how and why he finally got sober.
"There's such an audience for [information on] the opioid crisis, and so much people don't know about 鈥� that's going on right here in Vancouver," he shared.
While he first started experimenting with drugs like cocaine and MDMA during his early 20s, in the club scene, he began using meth with his first boyfriend, then was introduced to fentanyl by the second person he dated.
In his book, he delves into what happened to him in the subsequent years, everything from being dragged in the sex trade to getting raped, being kidnapped, overdosing seven times, having his identity stolen, getting gaslit into "unimaginable situations," being exposed to dead bodies in c-cans, watching children being sold off, and ultimately getting arrested and jailed.
"This is a world where death, crime, and corruption are everyday occurrences. It's a place where every decision can mean life or death, and truth is a luxury you can't afford鈥� I saw humanity at its worst," he shared.
"It shocked me, and I thought I'm going to write about this if I ever get out alive," said Cross.
He's been clean now for a year.
Cross shares his "unflinching and honest" journey, battling his demons of substance abuse, as well as loss, and despair. But Cross said his incarceration was a wake-up call that lead to his transformation, and he hopes the raw, unfiltered look into his life also inspires people.
He hopes his book, which took 10 month to write 鈥� most of it while behind bars 鈥� will serve as a testament to the human spirit's capacity for change and redemption.
"This story isn't just about the darkness. It's about the light. It's about breaking free, finding strength in impossible situations, and reclaiming a life that was almost lost forever," Cross elaborated.
He hopes to build a new life out of the ashes of the old one, and hopes the book shows others what's possible for them.
"I want to prevent others from going through what I went through, because unlike me, many don't make it out alive.
"I will recover loudly, so others don't die quietly," he said.
Cross is now working as a certified peer support worker with fellow addicts and their families 鈥� helping them navigate the world of addiction and recovery.
"What's next? Get my book on the big screen, public motivational speaking. A big career in recovery. Being a part of the ministry in improving and uncovering the kinks in the system," he said.
"This isn't just a book," Cross insisted. "It's proof that no matter how far you fall, you can rise again."
In between autographing sessions, and public speaking, Cross has also been invited to be part of a "So You Think You Can Drag" recovery charity event on Saturday, April 5, where he will be one of five guest speakers at the sold out event benefiting Surrey Pride.
