A&E -- Intervention: Chad Episode #64

Chad, 34, was once a pro-cyclist at the top of his game. After a difficult divorce by his parents and a troubled childhood that sent him to juvenile hall for nine months for felony arson, Chad needed direction. His father introduced him to cycling at age 15, and Chad had a natural gift. Chad went pro almost immediately and cycled on the same team as Lance Armstrong for the United Sates Postal Service. After getting kicked off the team for "personality conflicts", Chad was crushed. He started to dabble with drugs and alcohol while racing on smaller teams. As his drug use grew, his racing took a back seat until he quit altogether to do drugs full time. Chad is now homeless on the streets of Sacramento, California, panhandling, smoking crack cocaine, and drinking alcohol all day. He does not shower and he sleeps in a deserted lot. The only thing of value he owns is a beat up dirt bike that gets him around, from corner to corner, crack house to crack house. Chad's family can't believe their once successful, athletic son has given it all up to crack. Their many efforts to get him off the streets have failed. Their last hope is an intervention.

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