Andrew: SPICE AND

MOLLY.

THE NAMES WON'T SCARE YOU,

BUT THEIR EFFECTS ARE

DEADLY.

SHELLEY IS IN THE

AMBULANCE, AND SHE IS ON

HER WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.

I WAS SICK THE WHOLE WAY.

I KNEW SHE WAS GONE.

Andrew: WHAT'S

KILLING OUR KIDS, ON THE

NEXT "700 CLUB

INTERACTIVE."

Terry: HELLO,

EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO OUR SHOW.

IF YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE

RETURNING TO SCHOOL THIS

FALL, YOU DON'T WANT TO

MISS TODAY'S SHOW.

WE'D LIKE TO WARN YOU

ABOUT DANGERS THAT YOUR

CHILDREN MAY COME ACROSS.

FOR MORE ON THAT, LET'S GO

OVER TO ANDREW.

Andrew: THANK YOU SO

MUCH, TERRY.

TODAY YOU'LL HEAR THE

STORIES OF TWO PROMISING

YOUNG PEOPLE.

TRAGICALLY, BOTH AGREED TO

TRY A SO-CALLED, HARMLESS,

NON-ADDICTIVE DRUG.

ONE WAS CALLED SPICE; THE

OTHER, MOLLY.

THE FUN NIGHT THEY WERE

PROMISED NEVER HAPPENED.

FIRST WE WANT YOU TO HEAR

CONNOR'S STORY.

WHILE YOU'RE CHILDREN ARE

AT SCHOOL THIS YEAR, THEY

MIGHT BE OFFERED SPICE.

WHAT IS SPICE?

IT IS SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA.

RECENTLY MADE ILLEGAL, BUT

STILL READILY AVAILABLE.

IT SOUNDS HARMLESS, RIGHT?

WRONG.

JUST ASK THE ECHARDS.

LAST YEAR THEIR

19-YEAR-OLD SON CONNOR,

WAS OFFERED SPICE.

ONE HIT, THAT'S ALL HE

TOOK.

THE NEXT MORNING CONNOR

DIDN'T WAKE UP.

Andrew: JOINING US

NOW IS CONNOR'S MOM AND

DAD, DEN AND RON ECHARD.

I KNOW YOU HAVE A REAL

STRONG MESSAGE TO SHARE.

WHAT WAS YOUR SON, CONNOR

LIKE?

CONNOR LIT EVERY ROOM

THAT HE WALKED INTO.

IF THERE WERE 100 PEOPLE

IN THE ROOM OR A THOUSAND

PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, WHEN

YOU LEFT, YOU WOULD KNOW

HIM.

HE HAD A LAUGH COULD BE

HEARD THROUGHOUT THE

SCHOOL YARD.

HE WAS LOVING AND KIND.

HE WAS THE KIND OF PERSON

WHEN HE WENT ON A MISSIONS

TRIP, HE WOULD COME HOME

WITH A SUITCASE AND IT

WOULD BE EMPTY.

AND WE WOULD ASK HIM,

WHERE WAS IT ALL?

AND HE WOULD SAY, I GAVE

IT ALL AWAY.

THAT'S WHAT HE DID, HE

GAVE AWAY WHO HE WAS TO

MAKE OTHER PEOPLE FEEL

SPECIAL.

Andrew: LAST JULY

WHAT HAPPENED?

LAST JULY, WE HAD JUST

SPENT SOME TIME WITH

CONNOR, ON THE BEACH,

SURFING, BARBECUING.

AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE

LEFT ON A VACATION.

CONNOR WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN

US.

AND RIGHT AFTER ARRIVING,

WE GOT THE PHONE CALL THAT

NO PARENT EVER WANTS TO

RECEIVE, THAT CONNOR WAS

IN A COMA IN THE HOSPITAL,

THAT IT DIDN'T LOOK GOOD

AND WE NEEDED TO GET BACK

THERE RIGHT AWAY.

LATER WE FOUND OUT HE HAD

BEEN WITH A NEW FRIEND.

A FRIEND THAT ACTUALLY

OFFERED HIM SOME

MARIJUANA.

HE SAID, HEY, I SPOKE

MARIJUANA FROM TIME TO

TIME.

AND WHY DON'T WE HAVE

SOME.

AND CONNOR SAID, NO, I

DON'T WANT TO HAVE

ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

INSTEAD, AS AN ALTERNATIVE

WAS OFFERED SPICE, A

SYNTHETIC DRUG THAT WAS

PURCHASED JUST AT A LOCAL

STORE.

AND HE HAD ONE HIT OF

THAT, AND FELL INTO A COMA

AND NEVER WOKE UP.

Andrew: ONE HIT?

ONE HIT.

Andrew: AND THAT IS

READILY AVAILABLE STUFF

THAT KIDS CAN BUY?

READILY AVAILABLE.

AT THE SMOKE SHOP, GAS

STATION, CONVENIENCE

STORES, NOW AVAILABLE

ONLINE IN LIQUID FORM.

IT IS DECEPTIVELY MARKETED

AND PACKAGED IN A WAY THAT

KIDS USE IT AND PARENTS

WOULDN'T KNOW FROM THE

PACKAGING THAT THIS COULD

BE LETHAL.

Andrew: THAT'S WHY

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT

SHOW TODAY.

VERONICA, I WAS HEARING

YOU PRAY BACK IN OUR GREEN

ROOM PRIOR TO THIS SHOW.

AND YOUR FAITH IS AN

INSPIRATION.

HOW DID YOUR FAITH CARRY

YOU THROUGH, ESPECIALLY

THE FOUR DAYS YOU WERE

WITH CONNOR BEFORE YOU HAD

TO SAY GOOD-BYE.

HE WAS AN ORGAN DONOR.

CONNOR MADE TWO

IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

ONE WAS TO ACCEPT CHRIST

AS HIS SAVIOR, AND NUMBER

TWO WAS TO BECOME AN ORGAN

DONOR.

THOSE FOUR DAYS, WHEN I

FIRST THOUGHT THERE WAS NO

WAY -- IF YOU TOLD ME I

WAS GOING TO HAVE FOUR

DAYS WITH MY SON, THERE

WAS NO WAY WE WOULD BE

ABLE TO TAKE ONE MORE HOUR

SEEING HIM LIKE THAT.

AND THEN GOD JUST STARTED

TO WORK IN OUR LIVES AND

STARTED TO TELL US, NO,

THIS IS A GIFT.

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT GET

THIS.

AND WHEN WE REALIZED WHAT

A GIFT IT WAS, WE STARTED

TAKING PICTURES OF EVERY

SCAR, EVERY FRECKLE.

WE STARTED TO CUT HIS

HAIR, THE HAIRCUT I'VE

BEEN WANTING TO GIVE THIM HIM

FOR FOUR YEARS.

WE TOOK HIS HAND PRINTS

AND FOOTPRINTS AND

MEMORIZED EVERY PART OF

HIM.

Andrew: WHEN YOU

FIRST HELD HIM, GOD TOLD

YOU SOMETHING ABOUT HIS

LIFE.

WHAT WAS THAT?

RIGHT.

THE STORY FOR US IS SO

MUCH MORE TRAGIC THAN MOST

PEOPLE KNOW BECAUSE DEVON

AND I HAD GONE THROUGH 10

MISCARRIAGES AND TO ATOPIC

PREGNANCY AND SEVEN

ADOPTIONS THAT DIDN'T GO

THROUGH BEFORE WE GOT THE

CALL THAT WE WERE GOING TO

HAVE A SON.

AND WHEN GOD PUT CONNOR

INTO MY ARMS, I AUDIBLY

HEARD HIM SAY THIS BOY

WILL DO GREAT THINGS.

AND I CARRIED THAT WITH ME

HIS WHOLE LIFE.

AND, YOU KNOW WHAT, GOD IS

DOING AMAZING THINGS

THROUGH CONNOR RIGHT NOW

WITH HIS STORY.

Andrew: EVEN ON THE

DAY THAT HE PASSED, WE

HAVE FOOTAGE OF THE

HELICOPTER TAKING HIM --

HE BEGAN IMMEDIATELY

SAVING LIVES ON THAT DAY.

WHAT HAPPENED, DEVON?

THE FACT HE WAS AN

ORGAN DONOR, IT DID GIVE

US EXTRA TIME.

AFTER WE SAID OUR

GOOD-BYES, WE STOOD

OUTSIDE AND WAITED AND

WAITED AND HAD THE

OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THE

HELICOPTERS AND THE

PHYSICIANS ARRIVE AT THE

HOSPITAL AND PERFORM THE

SURGERIES AND THEN

ULTIMATELY HIS ORGANS

BEING TAKEN AWAY.

IT WAS A VERY BITTERSWEET

TIME.

OBVIOUSLY WE WERE

HEARTBROKEN AND DEVASTATED

BY THE LOSS OF OUR SON.

AND YET WE REALIZED IN THE

MIDST OF OUR TRAGEDY,

CONNOR'S LIFE-GIVING

DECISION MEANT THERE WERE

FAMILIES SOMEWHERE ELSE

THAT WERE ANXIOUSLY

AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF

ORGANS THAT WERE GOING TO

SAVE THEIR LIVES.

Andrew: HOW DO YOU

POSSIBLY DESCRIBE THAT

MOMENT WHEN YOU SAID

GOOD-BYE TO HIM.

YOU CAN'T.

WE ARE SCREAMING AND

YELLING AT THE TOP OF OUR

LUNGS, WITH TEARS

STREAMING DOWN OUR FACES,

SAYING GOOD-BYE, AND AT

THE SAME TIME PRAISING GOD

THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE ON

THE OTHER END, WAITING FOR

THEIR CHILD, POSSIBLY, TO

HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.

AND SO YOU CAN'T DESCRIBE

THE TRAGEDY AND THE BEAUTY

ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

Andrew: AND, DEVON,

WE NEED TO GET THE MESSAGE

OUT.

HOW EASY IS IT FOR KIDS TO

BUY THIS STUFF?

IT IS SHOCKINGLY EASY

AND AVAILABLE.

WE WERE SURPRISED WHEN WE

HEARD THAT THE

AVAILABILITY IN THE RISE

OF THESE INCIDENTS WERE

INCREASING AT EPIDEMIC

LEVELS ALL ACROSS THE U.S.

AND AROUND THE WORLD.

IT IS OUR PASSION TO MAKE

SURE THAT EVERY YOUNG

PERSON IN AMERICA IS

EDUCATED AND AWARE THAT

THEIR DECISIONS -- ONE

DECISION CAN HAVE ENORMOUS

IMPACT.

AND THESE ARE AVAILABLE ON

THE INTERNET, AT THE LOCAL

STORE.

AND WHILE LAWS ARE BEING

WORKED ON TO CONTINUE CURB

THAT FROM A LEGAL ASPECT,

WE FEEL LIKE IT IS EQUALLY

IMPORTANT, IF NOT MORE,

THAT FAMILIES AND PARENTS

OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MADE

AWAY THAT THIS IS

AVAILABLE AND IT IS NOT

SAFE.

Andrew: VERONICA,

YOU'RE HEARING FROM

FAMILIES AND KIDS ALL

AROUND THE WORLD ABOUT A

VARIETY OF ISSUES, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

WHEN THE Facebook PAGE

STARTED, THE CONNOR REID

ECHARD PAGE STARTED, IT

WAS OUR PRAYER THAT

CONNOR'S STORY WOULD GO

OUT WITH WIND AND FIRE

BECAUSE THE DOCTORS WERE

TELLING US THIS WAS

HAPPENING ALL OF THE TIME,

AND WE DIDN'T KNOW.

AND WE FELT THAT THAT WAS

WRONG.

PEOPLE NEEDED TO KNOW.

SO ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO A

THOUSAND MESSAGES COME TO

US PRIVATELY EVERY DAY

FROM PEOPLE NOT ONLY

LETTING US KNOW THAT

CONNOR SAVED THEIR LIFE,

BUT THEY'RE GOING INTO

REHAB, OR THEY STOPPED

CUTTING, OR THEY DECIDED

NOT TO TAKE THEIR LIFE IN

SUICIDE.

OR THEY ARE AN ANOREXIC OR

BULEMIC AND DECIDED TO GET

HELP.

PEOPLE HAVE COME TO

CHRIST.

OUR PLATFORM IS SPICE AND

SYNTHETIC DRUGS, AND

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW, BUT

OUR MESSAGE IS CHRIST

BECAUSE HE IS THE ONLY ONE

THAT IS GOING TO GIVE OUR

FAMILIES HOPE.

WE'RE ALL BROKEN.

WE ARE ALL BROKEN IN SOME

WAY.

CH.

Andrew Andrew: AND, DEVON,YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE

THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, AS

MUCH AS YOU CAN.

TELL US ABOUT THE CONNOR

PROJECT.

IT WAS BORNE OUT OF THE

DECISION THAT DAY TO

CHOOSE TO BE VULNERABLE

AND NAKED IN FRONT OF A

WATCHING WORLD WITH THE

MESSAGE OF WHAT HAD

HAPPENED TO US, AND HOW

EASILY THIS CAN HAPPEN.

AND SO WE SHARED OUR

STORY.

THE RESPONSE WAS

OVERWHELMING, AND OUT OF

THAT WE ULTIMATELY HAD TO

BUILD AN ORGANIZATION TO

RESPOND TO THE QUEST FOR

HELP AND THE NEED.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE

RESPONDING TO POSTS THAT

HAVE GONE UP ON

Facebook, AND ASKING FOR

HELP.

WE WANT TO CREATE

AWARENESS AND TOOLS TO

HELP PEOPLE IN THE MIDST

OF ADDICTION AND PROBLEMS

FIND THE KIND OF HELP THAT

THEY NEED.

Andrew: WE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR COURAGE AND

TRANSPARENCY, AND WE'LL

PRAY FOR YOU AND THOSE WHO

ARE STRUGGLING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Andrew: IF YOU WOULD

LIKE MORE FACTS ON THESE

SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT ARE

KILLING KIDS, IT'S ON OUR

WEBSITE.

AND DO IT FOR CONNOR.ORG.

Terry: IT STRIKES ME

ONE OF THE PERILS FOR

YOUNG PEOPLE IS THEY FEEL

SO INVINCIBLE.

> STILL AHEAD, A FUN

NIGHT TURNS DEADLY FOR A

COLLEGE STUDENT.

FIND OUT THE DANGERS OF

MOLLY WHEN WE COME BACK.

Terry: A STREET DRUG

KNOWN AS MOLLY IS GAINING

POPULARITY WITH HIGH

SCHOOL AND COLLEGE KIDS,

AND LOTS OF THEM THINK IN

A HARMLESS, NON-ADDICTIVE

PARTY DRUG, SO THEY DON'T

THINK TWICE ABOUT TAKING A

LITTLE MOLLY BEFORE A

NIGHT OUT WITH THEIR

FRIENDS.

AS ABIGAIL ROBERTSON SHOWS

US, THAT WAY OF THINKING

CAN HAVE DEADLY

CONSEQUENCES.

9-1-1, WHAT'S THE

NATURE OF YOUR EMERGENCY.

Reporter: ALMOST TWO

YEARS AGO, DIDI WORK TO A

PHONE CALL NO ONE WANTS TO

RECEIVE.

WE WERE ASLEEP, AND IT

WAS ABOUT 2:00 IN THE

MORNING.

MY CELL RAN AND I PICKED

IT UP, AND ONE OF HER

BUDDIES SAID TO ME, I'M SO

SORRY.

I'M SO SORRY.

AND I SAID, WHAT?

AND HE SAID, SHELLEY IS IN

AN AMBULANCE ON HER WAY TO

THE HOSPITAL.

I KNEW SHE WAS GONE.

Reporter: 19-YEAR-OLD

SHELLEY HAD TAKEN A DRUG

KNOWN AS MDMA, OR MOLLY,

AND DIED ON THE WAY TO THE

CONCERT.

SHELLEY HAD TAKEN MOLLY

AND HAD A HEAT STROKE AND

SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE

HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY.

IT WASN'T REALLY UNTIL THE

NEXT DAY THAT WE KIND OF

UNDERSTOOD THE GRAVITY OF

WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND THEN WE FINALLY GOT

THE COMMUNICATION THAT SHE

HAD PASSED AWAY.

Reporter: THE SAME

WEEKEND SHELLEY DIED,

MOLLY CLAIMED THE LIVES OF

TWO OTHER YOUNG ADULTS

ATTENDING A MUSIC FESTIVAL

IN NEW YORK.

MOLLY, SHORT FOR MOLECULE,

IS A STIMULANT THAT TAKES

USERS ON A SIX TO EIGHT

HOURS EUPHORIC HIGH.

IN REALITY, THERE IS

HARDLY ANYTHING PURE ABOUT

IT.

RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT

ONLY 15% DRUGS SOLD AS

MOLLY ARE REALLY WHAT THEY

CLAIM TO BE.

A THIRD SOLD UNDER THAT

NAME CONTAIN SUBSTANCES

SUCH AS COCAINE, BATH

SALTS AND BAKING SODA, AND

MORE THAN HALF CONTAIN NO

MDMA AT ALL.

PEOPLE THINK ONLY THE

TAINTED MOLLY CARES FATAL

CONSEQUENCES, BUT EVEN THE

PUREST FORM CAN BE LETHAL.

SO WHY IS IT SO POPULAR.

MDMA IS THE BEST DRUG

EVER.

IT'S CALLED MOLLY, AND

THAT'S NOT A

SCARY-SOUNDING NAME.

AND THE HIGH IT GIVES YOU

A WARM AND FUZZY.

YOU WANT TO DANCE, YOU

WANT TO LAUGH AND HAVE AN

AWESOME TIME.

I THINK IT IS VERY

MISLEADING.

MOLLY, MOLLY, MOLLY.

THE MEDIA, ALSO WITH

POP CULTURE, IS KIND OF

HOLDING THIS DRUG UP AS

SOMETHING AWESOME.

IT IS EASY TO HEAR THOSE

MESSAGES AND NOT HEAR THE

TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES THAT

CAN ALSO HAPPEN.

Reporter: DR. WILLIAM

STUDWIG DESCRIBES THE

EFFECT OF MOLLY ON THE

SYSTEM.

MOLLYS ARE AMPHETAMINES

AND THEY'RE

HALLUCINOGENIC.

SO IT SPEEDS UP

EVERYTHING.

IT SPEEDS UP THEIR HEART,

IT INCREASES THEIR BLOOD

PRESSURE.

IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF

EUPHORIA.

Reporter: THAT

EUPHORIA CAN LEAD TO

DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS,

SUCH AS SEIZURES, HEART

ATTACKS, AND SEVERE

HYPERTENSION.

THE TRAGEDY IS WHEN IT

AFFECTS THEIR BODIES IN

WAYS THAT ARE UNTOWARD.

THEIR HEART RATES GET

VERY, VERY FAST.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVE CAN

SEIZURES.

Reporter: DOCTORS

RULED SHELLEY'S CAUSE OF

DEATH WAS HYPOTHERMIA

BECAUSE HER BODY

TEMPERATURE ROSE TO HIGH

LEVELS.

THE MDMA WAS THE ONLY

THING IN HIS SYSTEM AT THE

TIME OF DEATH.

SINCE SHELLEY'S DEATH,

MANY PEOPLE CLOSE TO HER

ARE RAISING THE AWARENESS

OF THIS SO-CALLED HOMELESS

DRUG.

HER MOM IS URGING

LAWMAKERS TO AMEND THE

2003 RAYOVAC, AN ACT THAT

WAS PUT IN PLACE TO SHUT

THEM DOWN.

THE STANDARDS ARE VERY

BASIC THINGS.

IT INVOLVES FREE WATER,

COOL DOWN SPACES, OR COOL

AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.

APPROPRIATE NUMBERS OF

MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO DEAL

WITH MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.

Reporter: SHE SAYS

VENUE OPERATORS WON'T

IMPLEMENT THESE SMALL

SAFETY MEASURES BECAUSE

THEY FEAR IT COULD BE SEEN

AS ENCOURAGING DRUG USE

AND SUBJECT THEM TO

CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

SHE THINKS IF SHELLEY HAD

KNOWN MORE ABOUT MOLLY AND

ITS RISKS, SHE WOULD BE

ALIVE TODAY.

IT IS UNFATHOMABLE THAT

SHELLEY WOULD DIE FROM

HAVING TAKEN A DRUG.

AND IF IT CAN HAPPEN TO

HER, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY

CHILD.

Reporter: THIS WOULD

HAVE BEEN SHELLEY'S SENIOR

YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF

VIRGINIA.

AFTER SHELLEY'S DEATH,

ALIASE HELPED START THE

SHOOTING STAR FOUNDATION

TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT

THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRUG

USE.

EACH YEAR ON THE

ANNIVERSARY OF SHELLEY'S

DEATH, THEY COMMEMORATE

HER LIFE AND SHARE WITH

STUDENTS LIFE-SAVING

INFORMATION THAT COULD

HELP OTHERS.

ALIASE AND THE OTHERS WERE

ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO

THINK TWICE ABOUT THE RISK

OF TAKING MOLLY, IN THE

HOPES OF PREVENTING OTHER

DEATHS LIKE SHELLEY

GOLDSMITH'S.

REPORTING LIVE, ABIGAIL

ROBERTSON, CBN NEWS.

Andrew: WE LOOK AT

SHELLEY AND CONNOR, AND

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PANIC

PEOPLE ON THIS PROGRAM AT

ALL.

BUT IT IS SUCH AN

IMPORTANT ISSUE.

PARENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND

THESE AREN'T JUST

HARMLESS, UNADDICTIVE

DRUGS.

Terry: YOU WANT TO

TALK ABOUT PANIC?

THAT'S WHAT THE PARENTS

HAD TO FEEL WHEN THEY GOT

THOSE PHONE CALLS.

WHAT A LOSS, A TERRIBLE,

TERRIBLE LOSS.

THIS IS INFORMATION THAT

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HEAR

ABOUT.

IF YOU'RE A PARENT

WATCHING TODAY, LET YOUR

KIDS KNOW ABOUT THIS.

LET YOUR KIDS KNOW YOU'VE

BEEN EXPOSED TO SOME

INFORMATION THEY NEED TO NEED TO

KNOW ABOUT TO BE SMART.

COMING UP, A COLLEGE

STUDENT BLOWS THROUGH

$20,000 OF HIS PARENTS'

MONEY POP PILLS EVERY DAY.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE

O.D.s RIGHT IN FRONT OF

A POLICEMAN.

Terry: IT SEEMS THERE

IS A PILL NOWADAYS TO

SOLVE ANY PROBLEM.

COLLEGE STUDENT CHRIS

THOUGHT HE FOUND THE

SOLUTION TO HIS.

HE TOOK AS MANY AS 60

VICODIN A DAY, UNTIL HE

PASSED OUT IN PUBLIC AND A

POLICE OFFICER PICKED UP

HIS STASH.

I WAS AFRAID TO GO TO

SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

SCHOOL IS NOT A SAFE PLACE

FOR ME.

WHEN PEOPLE TREATED ME

THAT WAY FOR NO REASON, IT

REALLY HURT.

Reporter: BECAUSE HE

LOVED THEATER AND THE ART,

JOCKS PICKED ON CHRIS

CARVER.

BULLYING WAS AN EVERY DAY

PART OF HIS DAY.

HE FOUND HIS ESCAPE THE

DAY HE TOOK TWO

PRESCRIPTION MIGRAINE

PILLS INSTEAD OF ONE.

I DIDN'T EXPECT THE

FEELING THAT I GOT FROM

IT.

SO WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST

TWO PILLS TOGETHER, IT WAS

THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD

EXPERIENCED THE HIGH.

Reporter: CHRIS BEGAN

TAKING MORE AND MORE

PILLS.

HE BEGAN TO SHOP FOR

DOCTORS AND MADE UP

SYMPTOMS TO GET THE

MEDICATION.

I THOUGHT I HAD CONTROL

OVER MY SURROUNDINGS, AND

I COULDN'T BE STEPPED OVER

AND STEPPED ON ANYMORE.

I FELT LIKE I HAD POWER.

I WANTED TO FEEL THAT

EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY.

AND SO TO KEEP IT UP, I

HAD TO KEEP TAKING MORE

AND MORE AND MORE PILLS.

Reporter: DURING THIS

SOPHOMORE YEAR IN COLLEGE,

CHRIS WAS UP TO 60 VICODIN

A DAY.

HE WAS BARELY FUNCTIONING.

I FIRST KNEW I HAD A

PROBLEM WHEN FRIENDS BEGAN

TO ASK ME QUESTIONS IF I

MEANT THINGS I HAD SAID.

WHERE THEY B WOULD SAY,

CHRIS, DID YOU MEAN WHAT

YOU SAID TO ME LAST NIGHT?

AND I HAD NO CLUE WHAT I

SAID.

AND I KNEW I STARTED TO

HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN I

STARTED HAVING PHYSICAL

EFFECTS.

I STARTED NODDING OFF IN

PUBLIC.

I WOULD START TO FALL

SLEEP STANDING UP.

Reporter: IN A MATTER

OF MONTHS, HE BLEW THROUGH

$20,000 OF SAVINGS FROM

HIS PARENTS AND OPENED UP

CREDIT CARDS TO PAY FOR

HIS HABIT.

ALL OF THE PILLS WERE

DELIVERED BY ONE OF THE

SHIPPING COMPANIES.

I WOULD BE WAITING FOR A

DELIVERY, AND I WOULD NOD

OFF, FALL SLEEP, WAITING

FOR IT.

AND I WOULD REALIZE I

MISSED IT.

AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS

TIMES WHEN I CHASED DOWN

FEDEX TRUCKS AND U.P.S.

TRUCKS TRYING TO FIND THE

ONE THAT HAD MY SHIPMENT

IN IT.

Reporter: ONE DAY HE

WENT TO AN INTERNET CAFE,

AND HE PASSED OUT.

WHEN HE WOKE UP LATER, HE

DISCOVERED THE EMPLOYEE

HAD CALLED THE POLICE.

THE OFFICER HAD DISCOVERED

HIS STASH OF PRESCRIPTION

DRUGS.

I SEE THE POLICE

OFFICER CALLING IN FOR

SOMETHING ON HIS RADIO.

AND I START TO GET NERVOUS

AND I START TO TRY AND GET

UP.

AND HE COMES OVER TO ME

AND SAYS, NO, YOU JUST

STAY THERE.

AND THE NEXT THING I

REMEMBER, I WAS IN THE

AMBULANCE ON THE WAY TO

THE HOSPITAL.

AND THEN I PASSED OUT

AGAIN.

Reporter: CHRIS WOKE

UP IN THE HOSPITAL.

HIS PARENTS WERE THERE AND

TOLD CHRIS THAT HE HAD

NEARLY DIED.

THE MOMENT I DECIDED

THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE

OVER WAS WHEN I SAW MY

FATHER CRY.

AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND

SAID, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T

THINK I WOULD HAVE TO DEAL

WITH THIS KIND OF STUFF

WITH YOU.

AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME

I CARED TO REALLY SAY,

LOOK WHAT I'M DOING TO THE

PEOPLE I LOVE.

Reporter: HE WENT TO

DETOX, COMMITTED TO

REGULAR REHAB MEETINGS AND

STAYED OFF THE MEDS.

BUT HE WAS MISERABLE.

THERE WAS STILL A

FEELING THAT SOMETHING

WASN'T CONNECTING FOR ME.

THERE WAS STILL A FEELING

OF LONELINESS, STILL A

FEELING OF HURT.

I FELT THAT THERE WAS

STILL SOMETHING MISSING.

THEN A FRIEND

INTRODUCED CHRIS TO A

YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD

SOMETHING IN HER LIFE THAT

CHRIS WANTED.

I HAD NEVER MET ANYONE

IN MY WHOLE LIFE LIKE

JENNA.

SHE WAS SMARTER, STRONGER,

BALANCED, IN SO MANY WAYS,

FOR SUCH A YOUNG PERSON.

AND SO I WAS LEAVING

COLLEGE AS SHE WAS LEAVING

HIGH SCHOOL, AND YET SHE

HAD THIS STRENGTH I HAD

NEVER SEEN IN ANYONE.

I KNEW JENNA WAS A

CHRISTIAN WITHOUT HER

SAYING A WORD.

Reporter: CHRIS

STARTED GOING TO CHURCH

WITH JENNA.

AFTER A FEW MONTHS, JENNA

INVITED HIM TO SPEAK TO

HER FATHER, A SUNDAY

SCHOOL FOR 20 YEARS.

WHEN I FIRST MET CHRIS,

I WAS IMPRESSED BY HIS

INTELLIGENCE AND HIS

HUMILITY BECAUSE HE TRULY

WAS LOOKING FOR TRUTH.

HE WAS LOOKING FOR WHAT HE

SHOULD BE DOING AS A

PERSON.

HE WAS TAKING EVERYTHING

THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

HE WAS ABSORBING IT, AND

HE WAS ASKING MORE

QUESTIONS.

SCOTT BEGAN TO TALK TO ME

ABOUT GOD.

AND I SPENT FOUR AND FIVE

HOURS QUESTIONING HIM ON

HIS FAITH.

SCOTT PERSONIFIED CHRIST

TO ME BY HOW HE ACTED.

Reporter: CHRIS SAYS

HE WENT HOME AFTER HE

TALKED TO SCOTT AND PRAYED

TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST

INTO HIS LIFE.

I WAS ACCEPTING JESUS

BECAUSE OF JENNA.

I WASN'T ACCEPTING IT

BECAUSE OF SCOTT.

I ACCEPTED JESUS FOR ME.

I READ THE WHOLE BIBLE

FRONT TO BACK.

I DID NOT WANT TO STOP

KNOWING HIM BETTER AND

BETTER.

I WOULD GO TO CHURCH WITH

JENNA, BUT IT WAS FOR A

DIFFERENT REASON.

I HAD GONE TO CHURCH NOW

FOR JESUS.

ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I

FELT I WAS DIFFERENT, OR I

FELT PEOPLE DIDN'T LOVE ME

OR LIKE ME, OR THAT I

NEEDED TO EARN THEIR

LOVE -- ALL OF THAT

CHANGED BECAUSE HE LOVED

ME WITHOUT ME DOING

ANYTHING.

Reporter: A FEW

MONTHS LATER JENNA AND

CHRIS MARRIED.

TODAY CHRIS IS AN ONLINE

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR AND

HAS LAUNCHED A WEBSITE

CALLED "HOLY POP," TO HELP

OTHEROTHERS GET THE ANSWERS

ABOUT CHRISTIANITY.

I OWE EVERYTHING TO

JESUS CHRIST.

HE HAS GIVEN ME A WHOLE

NEW LIFE.

HE HAS GIVEN ME MY WIFE.

HE HAS GIVEN ME HOPE.

HE HAS GIVEN ME ANSWERS.

I DON'T HAVE TO QUESTION

WHETHER OR NOT IF SOMEONE

CARES OR IF I'M ALONE.

THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN

DEPRESS ME OR HURT ME AS

LONG AS THERE IS JESUS

CHRIST.

Terry: I THINK CHRIS

HAS SO APPROPRIATELY

DESCRIBED AND DEFINED WHAT

EVERY ONE OF US FEEL.

WHAT IS LIFE ABOUT?

WE WANT ANSWERS.

WE INNATELY KNOW THAT

WE'RE HERE FOR A REASON,

THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME

PURPOSE, SOME MEANING TO

LIFE.

AND WE STRIVE TO KNOW

THAT.

SOMETIMES WE FALL DOWN

ALONG THE WAY.

SOMETIMES WE'RE HURT AND

WOUNDED AND DISAPPOINTED

AND WE RELY ON OTHER

THINGS TO TRY TO MAKE US

FEEL GOOD ABOUT LIFE,

ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

BUT IN THE END, ONLY OUR

CREATOR CAN DO THAT.

AND THE THING I LOVE THE

MOST, AND THAT I HOPE YOU

HEARD THE DEEPEST, IS THAT

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO

ANYTHING TO EARN GOD'S

LOVE.

IT WAS THERE FOR THE

ASKING.

HE JUST NEEDED TO RECEIVE

IT.

AND YOU KNOW THAT'S TRUE

FOR YOU, TOO.

IF YOU'RE SEARCHING TODAY,

IF HIS STORY RESONATES IN

YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR

LIFE AND IN YOUR

CIRCUMSTANCES, CALL AND

PRAY WITH ONE OF OUR

PRAYER COUNSELLORS.

OUR NUMBER IS TOLL-FREE.

IT IS FREE FOR YOU TO

CALL.

1-888-777-1999.

THE PERSON ON THE OTHER

END OF THE LINE IS SOMEONE

WHO IS ON THE SAME SEARCH

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SOMEONE WHO FOUND THE LOVE

OF JESUS CHRIST.

SOMEONE WHO'S LIFE HAS

BEEN RADICALLY CHANGED AND

THEY WOULD JUST LOVE TO

PRAY WITH YOU TODAY.

SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

TRUTH AND PURPOSE AND

CONTENTMENT IN YOUR HEART,

REALLY THE PEACE OF GOD,

CALL NOW AND LET SOMEONE

PRAY WITH YOU.

Andrew: AND IN CHRIS'

STORY, YOU KNOW WHAT A

BIG-CHANGER FOR HIM WAS

MEETING PEOPLE WHO

REFLECTED THE LOVE OF

CHRIST.

THEY WERE REAL AMBASSADORS

OF JESUS.

WHEN HE SAW JESUS IN THEM,

IT HELPED HIM BELIEVE A

CHANGE WAS POSSIBLE.

WONDERFUL STUFF.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH A

BEAUTIFUL SCRIPTURE FROM

ROMANS 8: 28: "AND WE KNOW

IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS

FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO

LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN

CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS

PURPOSE."

FOR TERRY MEEUWSEN, I'M

ANDREW KNOX, AND UNTIL

NEXT TIME ON "700 CLUB

INTERACTIVE," BYE-BYE.

--------------------------

CREDIT