UPDATE: Michael begs no more
After two months in rehab, Michael is showing signs of recovery.
“I am so proud of him. He’s working hard. It has been a long, painful road and it was not easy.”
Michelle Senekel, the ever-supportive sister of 24-year-old Michael Botha, proudly displayed the before and after pictures of how Michael’s rehabilitation at the Freedom Recovery Centre in Nigel has benefited him.
“You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw him,” Michelle recalled. “I couldn’t believe how well he looked after nearly nine weeks at the centre.”
This comes after the News had published an article on Michael who admitted to begging to support his drug habit.
To read the initial article and watch the video of his confession, click here.
Shortly after the article, reader response led to Michael being sponsored to go to a rehabilitation centre called Walking With Winners. But after two weeks, he ran away. Not long afterwards he reappeared in Krugersdorp and found that he no longer could beg because people knew his story. Subsequently he was sent to yet another centre, the Freedom Recovery Centre.
On 7 September the News reported that Michael had completed a successful two weeks at the centre.
“We are hoping that he will complete the six-month programme. Even though many people have offered to help Michael, the R6 000 per month bill is a bit much for us to carry, so we still need more support,” Michelle said.
Michael has to stay at the centre for another four months and those who support him believe he will complete the programme successfully.
Michelle told the News that Michael recalled the day his sister had picked him up to take him to Nigel, saying he could not remember how he got to the centre.
“I believe that if my brother continued on his previous path, he would not have lived long. But seeing these photos truly gives one hope for his future,” Michelle added.
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