By the age of 21 Tony Hoang had been part of a gang, served time in jail for dealing in heroin, three of his friends had been murdered, three had overdosed and he had been shot at point-blank range.
Seven years later Mr Hoang's life has dramatically changed and he reckons
he has been given a second chance. He is using it to share his story about how he got out a life of crime, gangs and drugs.
Mr Hoang spoke about his experiences at several Rotorua venues over the weekend.
The 28-year-old was one of 10 children in a home where their father beat their mother and the children. At 13 Mr Hoang joined a Chinatown gang in Australia's Cabramatta. The next year he was jailed for dealing heroin.
He left home at 15 and by the age of 16 had saved $70,000 from dealing drugs but had lost his best friend to an overdose. He broke his heroin addiction but got into the party scene and was popping pills. He had also taken other drugs including ecstasy, cannabis and cocaine.
At 19 he was in a club and was shot at a distance of about 1m.
"The bullets didn't get me... I believe it was divine intervention."
When he was 21 he overdosed on heroin.
"My life was wrecked."
Having been raised Catholic, Mr Hoang went along to a church and "broke down" at the altar. He asked God that if he was real to give him a sign.
The next day he was approached by some Christians who were witnessing on a street and they gave him a pamphlet.
On the pamphlet read the words, "If you are looking for a sign from God then here it is". There and then Mr Hoang became a Christian.
He said getting away from the life he had lived was not something that "happened overnight" and some of the decisions he had to make were hard.
He has now travelled Australia, New Zealand and Fiji to share his story, which has also featured on the Australian television series Gangs of Oz.
He is now happily married and has three children.
Mr Hoang said people chose how they lived their lives.
"The way you were raised is not an excuse for the way you are. You can change. You are who you hang around."
He had to cut himself off from people he was associating with.
Asked why he wanted to share his story Mr Hoang said he did it "because God has rescued me to rescue others. The crux of the matter is you can have a second chance."
Mr Hoang will speak at Victory Church tonight and tomorrow from 7pm and at Whakatane Intermediate on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7pm.
By the age of 21 Tony Hoang had been part of a gang, served time in jail for dealing in heroin, three of his friends had been murdered, three had overdosed and he had been shot at point-blank range.
Seven years later Mr Hoang's life has dramatically changed and he reckons
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