TONIGHT: Addictions and the family — the dad’s perspective

Last fall, the Coulee Council on Addictions presented a program in La Crosse dealing with ‘a mother’s perspective’ on substance abuse.

Tonight, fathers of addicts will be speaking about their own struggles.

One speaker will be Bill, who lost his son Chris to drug addiction nine years ago. Chris lived to be 24 and was addicted for half of his life.

Bill told reporters Monday that getting help for people fighting substance abuse is “screamingly expensive.”

“It’s a $1000 a day for residential treatment,” Bill said. “Most people that are dealing with this or their families, that’s well beyond the resources.

“And, with a lot of medical insurance, you get one go around.”

The Coulee Council on Addictions program runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Radisson Center in downtown La Crosse.

Midwest Family Broadcasting will live-stream the event here.

Tom will also be there to talk about all the emotions he felt when he almost lost an adult daughter to alcohol abuse.

“Of obsession for me,” Tom said. “Chaos was there and confusion. And sometimes, it happens all at the same time.

“Others it’s separately but, for me, I would have to say our family journey was one of confusion and chaos and obsession.”

Tom’s daughter has now been sober for seven years.