“She Was Right”: Teen Drug Addict Living in Streets With 40-Year-Old Boyfriend Remembers Mom’s Words

• A 19-year-old drug addict reflected on her life living on the streets of Cape Town with her 40-year-old boyfriend 
• Emily Smith remembered her late mother’s words on choosing a better life for herself than the one she’s currently living 
• Social media users prayed for Smith’s healing journey and shared their experiences with drug addiction 
• A clinical psychologist, Vuyolwethu Tuluma, shared insight into why the young lady chose the unfortunate lifestyle with Briefly News

A drug-addicted teenager living in the streets of Cape Town with her 40-year-old boyfriend opened up about her drug use, homelessness and how she chose love over a stable life.

Mzansi felt sorry for Smith as they understood that young people make irrational decisions that could ruin their lives.

19-year-old drug addict living on streets with 40-year-old boyfriend 

South Africa has a huge school dropout problem as well as a significant homelessness crisis and drug addiction issue. A 19-year-old girl succumbed to all three when she chose love over a stable life.

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Emily Smith started her “out of line” journey when she dropped out of school at the age of 16 and started doing drugs. Smith moved to the streets, where she developed a drug addiction.

Last year, on 28 September 2024, she got into an accident that forced her to get clean for six months from drugs. Smith went to live with her mother for a month after she got out of rehab from the hospital.

The teen went back to the streets to look for her 40-year-old boyfriend, who was with her during the accident:

“He was the one who was with me in the accident and the only one who helped me ever since I was on the streets. He took care of me, made sure I had shoes on my feet and clothing, and was always warm, so he took care of me. That’s why I came back to thank him basically.”

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Emily shared a little bit about her relationship with her mom and how she tried to guide her in the right direction:

“My mom always used to say once you do wrong and you’re with the same friends, and you want to stay clean and off from it, you have to make new friends and get into a new environment, but now she has passed away. She was right.”

Emily believes she can turn her life around as she is still young. She plans to return to rehab, move out of Cape Town and move into a new environment with new friends, just like her late mom advised.

Watch the video below:

Mzansi reacts to teen drug addict on living on the streets 

Briefly News reaches out to a clinical psychologist, Vuyolwethu Tuluma, to find out why Emily could have found comfort in looking for love in the streets:

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“The absence of a father figure can create a lot of psychological issues. This is not to say that everyone who has an absent father figure will experience these psychological issues. One can have issues with setting boundaries, difficulties with forming relationships and substance abuse issues.

"If we focus on romantic relationships, issues can present themselves in different ways as a result of an absent father figure. One may be involved in toxic romantic relationships that have physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse due to abandonment and or rejection issues.”

South Africans felt sorry for Emily and prayed for her recovery as she is still young for the life she chose:

@Lizell.Is.The.Queen was devastated by Emily's story:

"Lord, our young babies are loosing themselves… This man that lured her is 40! She’s a baby, man! I honestly pray she makes it out this situation…"

@Jeeland Goddy escaped the same fate:

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"You are such an inspiration": SA choked up after reading lady's letter to late mom

"This was me 12 years ago, thank you, Lord, for setting me free."

@Sam🇨🇳🇿🇦 shared:

"Love ain’t worth your life, I’ll tell you that."

@Bev 🇵🇸 hoped for Emily's recovery:

"She's smart and does not lack self awareness. I pray that God grant her the strength to turn her life around."

Mzansi woman shares regret leaving job for provident fund money

Briefly News also reported that a South African woman named Zee (@user742193574040) quit her nine-year job last year to access her provident fund. She had planned to use the money to build a roof for the house she was building, however, it got damaged.

She claimed that she was now jobless and homeless and expressed regret in a viral TikTok video.

Source: Briefly News