Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Simon Fenech with Neil Bramwell, Echo Publishing, $29.99.
What would make a champion kickboxer and loving father turn to ice? We learn why in this brutally honest and powerful memoir.
Simon Fenech, a former Australian and South Pacific kickboxing champion, tried crystal meth for the first time after a traumatic work accident. He was instantly hooked. Soon, he was dealing to support a $1,000-a-day addiction.
Ice produces an intense rush that can make the user feel confident and energetic. It can last for hours, however coming down takes days. Fenech was to discover that not only was ice (crystal meth) very addictive, it was also linked to chronic physical and mental health problems.
Breaking Good is a painful, disturbing story of survival. It is also proof that even the most dreadful fall from grace can lead to redemption. We get drawn into the depths of despair being experienced by Simon and can feel his desperation in order to appreciate the scale of his redemption.
Simon was shot by underworld hitmen. He came within an inch of losing his life after a horrific knife attack. He was hunted by drug lords and by specialist police units at the same time. He reached the very depths of misery and despair, but Simon’s story didn’t end there.
The successful sportsman and committed family man managed to transform his life in a way that will inspire anyone who’s either personally felt the devastating effects of ice or seen their loved one’s battle with addiction.
A harshly straightforward and disturbing story of endurance, Breaking Good is proof that even those who have made the most appalling mistakes can turn their lives around. Simon’s metamorphosis, from a drug addict buried deep in Australia’s criminal underworld to someone who motivates and works intently to change the lives of others … is a journey to hell and back. It’s remarkable!
Answer this question: Breaking Good is whose memoir? If your answer is correct, then you could win one of the two copies of this book. Entries should be sent to [email protected] by Monday, 18 October 2021. Names of the winners will be announced in Frank Cassidy’s PS-sssst…! column on 19 October 2021.
