RACHAEL Taylor is living every parent’s nightmare.
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Her son, Dylan Blake, is on the run from police after failing to attend court in January, and is addicted to the debilitating drug ice.
In a heartfelt plea to bring her son home, Ms Taylor approached The Standard to tell her story.
She has called for a residential rehabilitation service in the south-west to help treat people with drug addiction.
She said Dylan, 22, had been on a successful career path before succumbing to ice.
“He was a second year apprentice at a restaurant, he had a beautiful partner and a young child,” she said.
“They had hopes for a big future.”
Ms Taylor said her athletically-gifted son excelled at football and basketball.
“We would catch up several times a week and meet as a family once a week for dinner,” she said.
“Most of all I wanted my son to be happy, truly happy. Then that began to change, somewhat slowly, then rapidly, as ice began to infiltrate our lives.”
Over the past 18 months Ms Taylor has enforced rules and boundaries for her son.
She also had frank discussions with him about detox, counselling and minimising harm.
“When your child has dived off a cliff, freefalling head first into a lifestyle you cannot influence any longer, that you cannot save them from, heartache begins to set in,” she said.
“As you watch the slow decline – the slightening of their frame, the darkening of the eyes, a change in the pallor of their skin – a sinking feeling begins beneath a parent’s skin.”
She said as ice took a stronger hold over Dylan she saw less and less of him.
She has pored over research and spent hours searching for solutions.
Residential drug rehabilitation can cost up to $8800 for 28 days or $24,200 for three months, but is not available in the south-west.
“I wish for a life without ice,” Ms Taylor said.
“I want replacement therapies to be available, more detox long stay beds for Warrnambool and an increase in rehabilitation facilities.”
She is not ashamed to talk about her son’s addiction and said it did not discriminate – anyone could be affected, from young people to middle-aged professionals.
“If I stand up and fight for him it might show him that he’s worth it.”
