‘At my worse: Addiction left me in a coma – Adferiad helped save my life’ 

When Spencer Lowry woke up from a drug-induced coma, he was covered in severe burns all over his body after spending 22 hours unconscious against a radiator. 

Spencer had battled addiction for 28 years after a traumatic childhood had left him homeless. 

Growing up in care, Spencer had several traumatic childhood experiences that would influence his life and left his family home at the age of 15.  

 Within a year, after a lack of guidance and support, he ended up in prison – starting a cycle that would define him for years to come. 

Wanting to escape his reality, Spencer would experiment with the use of substances which “started to take control of my life very quickly” as he started using crack cocaine and heroin. 

“I didn’t see it as addiction for a long time – for years, by the time I was getting to my 30s and 40s it became a real issue for me.”  

“It was really controlling everything really; first thought in the morning, where will I get something today, last thought at night, where will I get something tomorrow?” 

Spencer would repeatedly be caught in a cycle, using different probation services, entering three different rehabs, alongside numerous other support services. 

“Not to say none of them worked but because I took a little bit of them from every single one, but nothing worked – because I was always trying to hold on to a little bit. 

“Just trying to keep that little something, thinking it was me, thinking I would lose my identity – because I didn’t know myself without drugs, 28 years is a long time” he said. 

His turning point came when he accidentally overdosed on tramadol – a strong painkiller opiate, known for being highly addictive.  

“I was in a bad place, I started taking tramadol which I had never taken before, I did not realise what they were” he said. 

Spencer would go on to take the box in its entirety and spend 22 hours unconscious, pressed up against a radiator until he was found by a stranger. 

After being admitted into hospital, he would spend a week under intensive care. 

“It doesn’t sound long, a week but that ruined me, my body. I had pressure marks on my knees and feet, half my shoulder too – I’ve only got half a shoulder there because I was against a radiator for 22 hours, I was dieing, when someone found me. 

“That was the turning point for me, that was the point where I decided I needed to pursue a change” he said.  

Shortly after, Spencer discovered Adferiad. 

“Somebody had mentioned Adferiad and I decided to go down and take a look, at that time they were able to take my details and immediately offered me the domino project.  

“Accessing it was the most powerful step I took. Once I walked through the door that day; people were so warm and welcoming, everything started to shift immediately.  

“I can see how things just started to fall into place for me. I was desperate for help and that first response to me when I walked into that building was the most important, it saved my life” he said. 

16 years after his coma, Spencer has rediscovered his identity and found faith, which has enabled him to find an element of peace within his life. 

He has even been able to reconnect with family after 20 years, where he has a loving relationship with his daughter and a new partner in his life. 

“I had never been abroad, I have been three or four times now. I am looking forward to down the line, spending time with my grandchildren. 

“I let my daughter down for 20 years, but to be in my life now, and she loves the socks off me, it’s mind-blowing.  

“My little grandkids run up to me and shout ‘Bampi’ and I just look forward to now waking up every day” 

“My old life won’t define anymore, Addiction is a personal battle and If I can help others through telling my story then I am happy to,” said Spencer. 

Spencer Robert Lowry is now empowering others to also rebuild their lives after addiction.  

Now 7 years sober, Spencer is eager to help others on a similar journey and offers his own guidance to Treatment Services within Adferiad in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. 

“I was caught in a trough of destruction for 30 years and saw things that most people wouldn’t believe. 

“I want to help others now, if my story can help just one person then I will share my story” he said.