ONE OF MINNESSOTA’S BEST

Who would have known that a fifteen year old prankster, whose antics cost him thirty years in the St. Cloud Reformatory in Minneapolis, would later get a role in a major motion picture and eventually become a spokesperson for an international drug treatment program?

That is exactly what happened to Minnesota born and raised Gordon Weinand, who still describes himself in earlier days as “a full fledged rebel on the loose.”

Born in 1939 to a working class family, Gordy’s hopes of becoming a major league baseball player were cut short when he was sentenced as a juvenile to 30 years on a number of charges.

After seven years at the St. Cloud Reformatory, he was transferred to the Stillwater State prison for two more years.  In prison Gordy was reformed from teenage prankster into an adult drug abuser with distaste for the law.  He learned to abuse and sell drugs in the prison.

In 1966, Gordy moved to Arizona to start a new life, but old habits are hard to break and his “new life” became more of the same – dealing and using drugs.

He soon was on the wrong side of bars again when a “friend” dropped some things over to Gordy’s apartment for safekeeping.  These items turned out to have been stolen and the next morning Gordy was arrested for third degree burglary and sentenced to the Arizona State Prison.  Gordy remarks about this arrest, “Believe it or not, this is when my life started changing for the better.”

One day, working on his assigned duties in the prison cannery, Gordy met an individual named Willie Benitez and his life changed forever.  Willie had been in and out of prison himself a few times for heroin possession – he had been a heroin addict for eighteen years.  This go around, Willie decided that he was going to overcome his addiction by concentrating on his abilities.  He helped others to do the same by starting a program in the prison.  That day he invited Gordy to a Narconon meeting.

Gordy went to his first Narconon meeting really to get out of his cell one night a week. By the third meeting he began to notice that he was feeling better about himself and shedding himself of old attitudes.  The communication training and lectures helped him to realize that he was NOT powerless and was more than a stupid juvenile as he had been told.  Gordy describes this as the time in his life when he took control and began to create a new life for himself.

After Gordy was in prison for six months, Paramount Studios came to film the movie Riot, right in the Arizona State Prison.  Gordy got a part in the film and was paid $4000.00, which he was able to take with him when he left prison.

After prison, Willie and Gordy worked together to expand Narconon, funding their endeavor by installing carpets.  Within a few years, Narconon expanded into many cities and countries. (It is in 44 countries today). Willie became the international spokesperson for Narconon.  When he died in 1999, the torch was passed to Gordy and he continues to this day to spread a drug free message.

His 40 years clean time, his long marriage and 3 beautiful daughters are testament to the fact that no matter the circumstances, anyone’s life can change for the better.

Gordy now works full time as a full time Narconon staff member in Georgia and still invites drug addicts and their families to call him personally with their difficulties.

When asked to sum up his story, it is simply put, “I have been drug-free for 40 years.  I am devoted to helping to others have the success I have had.”

Anyone can email Gordon personally at gordonweinand@yahoo.com or see his video on drugsno.com.  Whether you are abusing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine or pot – Gordy will talk to them.