Maine’s Dereck Connors was a typical thrill-seeking, envelope-pushing kid, excelling from youth in freestyle biking, skateboarding, and any other extreme sport that captured his attention. He “lived large,” but also began to dabble in drugs at a young age, being sent to his first rehab stay at age 14, starting a pattern of drug and alcohol abuse, jail time, and rehab stints that marked his life for years. With passing time, he began to experience high pain from prior fractures, several serious concussions, and severe degenerative disc issues, which drove him to seek relief through anything that would lend it, including pharmaceuticals and heroin. His pattern of rehab stays and subsequent trouble with the law continued.
Dereck had, meanwhile, married twice and had children. He was unhappy with the person he’d become – ashamed at being a father who couldn’t seem to get it together. The marriages failed; he felt useless. He counts finally meeting his present wife, Veronika, as one of his life’s greatest blessings. She patiently stood by his side as he struggled to conquer his dependencies and passionately researched natural remedies for withdrawals, pain and physical support.
It was through this effort that Dereck discovered Kratom, a natural, non-high-making plant from Indonesia. Obtaining some for tea-making, he was astounded at the relief that he got from the leaf, and with some weeks’ time observing his continued amazing improvement, his wife — initially hesitant about this rather un-known plant — became as passionate as he about Kratom and the wide range issues it so successfully addressed: opiate withdrawals, depression, pain, anxiety, varied health syndromes. Celebrating his return to clear-headed, positive living, she saw him become the husband and father he so badly had wanted to be.
Before too long, Connors had formed close relationships with Indonesian tribes and Kratom cultivators. He read all the scientific information he could find on the plant. He began spreading the word to friends. Convinced that Kratom was a miraculous, natural gift from God, provided to us for our benefit and health, he started working with addicts, who with the help of Kratom, were able to overcome their addictions and get through withdrawals more successfully than he’d ever seen in his wide exposure to this world of drug-dependence. Connors had found his true calling: promoter/ defender of this plant that has helped thousands.
Connors and his family now run a Kratom outfit that boasts the crucially important policy of lab-testing each imported product batch for purity and absence of foreign particulates, as well as maintaining an up-to-industry-standard receiving and packaging facility. When he is not helping others with myriad issues and questions, producing informative videos, Connors is also a nationally recognized advocate for Kratom, opening up communication with government officials by regularly speaking at related senate committee hearings and other formal discussions regarding the plant. The family business has contributed funding to lobbying and other legal pro-Kratom efforts, and they also have been instrumental in helping other Kratom representatives continue the fight for continued legality by covering people’s travel costs, providing hotels, and otherwise supporting those who speak for this plant and its amazing properties.
Connors hope is that with continued legal status of Kratom, the countless people who suffer from heath and emotional challenges can find relief and support through the plant, through dissemination of truthful information, adherence to standards of laboratory/ industry frameworks, and friendly word of mouth. He is a wonderful living testament to the ways Kratom can change — and save — lives.
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