In the shadow of death: Jason's journey
Jason Amaral is a 30-year-old heroin addict living in the Boston area. In college, Jason started experimenting with the pricey painkiller OxyContin, which soon led him to heroin. And so began the life of an addict.
Over the past ten years, he has overdosed 8 times and been in and out of rehab centers. "CBS Evening News" met him the day before he checked back in to rehab, and will follow him on his journey to recovery.
Jason as a toddler
Jason grew up in Needham, Massachusetts, where he and his younger brother Andrew were raised by a single mother. By all accounts, she gave her boys a happy and stable childhood.
Jason and his mom
When Jason was only 11, his mother died from cancer. He and Andrew then went to live with their father in another town.
Pictured here is Jason with his mother.
Jason and his brother
Jason and Andrew went to live with their father in Arlington, Massachusetts, after their mother passed away. The two brothers began experimenting with prescription opiates after high school. By the time they were young adults, they were full-blown addicts.
Seen here is Jason, right, with his brother Andrew.
Jason and his dad
Jason is seen here with his father following his mother's death. After Jason became addicted to opiates, he continued to live with his dad for several years while he was in and out of detox centers -- but he was never able to get fully clean.
Jason as a teenager
Jason is pictured here in a school photo, before his addition began. Despite avoiding problems with the law and being a good student most of his life, Jason got hooked on OxyContin soon after high school.
Jason and Andrew
Jason's brother Andrew, right, is also an addict. While "CBS Evening News" cameras were rolling, Andrew called to say he was dropping out of a detox clinic.
"Don't leave, buddy," Jason begged. "It's not a good idea to leave. Please don't. I'm going to rehab tomorrow and I'm gonna stay," he told him. But even as he begged his brother to get help, he was preparing to shoot heroin mixed with the powerful drug fentanyl.
Jason in rehab
Jason is now in rehab again, with the support of his best friend, Mike Duggan, a recovering addict. Mike has been clean for several years, and took Jason to rehab himself.
"It's life or death. Like, you will die if you don't get it this time. It's just really what it comes down to," Mike told him.
"CBS Evening News" will follow Jason through his treatment, as he aims to get clean and stay clean. He hopes his story will shine a light on how difficult it is to overcome addiction, and will inspire others who are struggling to seek help.
