Former drug dealer Tony Hoang spends his time giving hope to others

TONY Hoang’s life is difficult to comprehend. Dealing drugs and in a gang by 13. Bought his first gun at 14, locked up at 14. Was shot at 19. Heroin overdose at 21. He talks about why it happened.

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WHEN Tony Hoang started dealing drugs as a 13-year-old, he was earning a couple hundred bucks a day.

The temptation to continue was difficult to fight.

It took him eight years to stop dealing but, in that time, he’d been locked up at 14, shot at when he 19 and had a heroin overdose at 21.

He had six dead friends. Three had been murdered.

Mr Hoang grew up in Cabramatta as one of 10 children.

Tony Hoang has turned his life around and is giving others hope they can do the same. Picture: Carmela Roche

Tony Hoang as a boy with his sisters.

He was accepted into a gang at 13 and bought his first gun at 14.

“Dealing became a habit,” he said.

“I got to the stage where I was dealing to the dealers and was earning between $7000 and $10,000 a week.

“I could buy whatever I wanted ... and I did.”

At one stage he had seven cars, bought $20,000 in jewellery and had a motorbike at the age of 16.

Tony Hoang’s story is featured in the television documentary series, Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta and Gangs of Oz and also in a book due out this month called Doin’ Time.

He said he splashed out on a rear projection television because he didn’t have a TV when he was younger. That pushed him towards the impulse buy.

“I used to get beaten up by my siblings for pulling things apart to make toys,” he said.

“We didn’t have a lot. By turning to a gang, I definitely missed out on my teen years at the milk bar playing Street Fighter.”

Tony Hoang spent eight years dealing drugs from the age of 13. Picture: Carmela Roche

His turning point was after his overdose, when he felt alone and felt he had no life to live.

“I went to church in Cabramatta and wept. I prayed and asked God to give me a sign.”

Mr Hoang said he was having dark thoughts and didn’t want to be here anymore. He described it as a “dark period” in his life.

“I didn’t want to live anymore.”

The very next day, as he walked down a street, a man handed him a flyer.

It said: “If you’re looking for a sign from God, come along.”

That was February 8, 2004 — a defining moment.

Today, Mr Hoang is a pastor at the very church (Potters House) that handed him the flyer.

He is a drug educator, youth mentor and he works in a couple of local high schools, deterring youth away from gangs and the drug scene.

While his family still battles with the effects of drugs, he has been given a second chance.

His mission is to now give hope to others.

“I share my story and I pray with them,” he said.

“I don’t hide it from anyone, not even my kids — I’m very transparent.

“I’m still the ratbag in Cabramatta, but it’s God in me that is helping others.”

Tony Hoang with his wife and four children. He also has two other children who he has adopted.

He is also the father of six children.

Mr Hoang’s story features in the television documentary series Gangs of Oz, and Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta and in 30 plus news articles across the Pacific.

It now appears in a book out this month called Doin’ Time.

Author and Whitelion general manager Rachel Porter shares the stories of nine Australian men from troubled backgrounds who get offered a second chance.

It includes first person accounts of what it’s really like to work with troubled youth from an Assistant Police Commissioner, a former Child Safety Commissioner, a psychologist, a lawyer and outreach worker to analyse the impact drugs and abuse have had on the lives of children. They discuss the programs that are working to make them healthy and reconnected to the community.

For more information on Tony Hoang’s life visit www.tonyhoang.com.au/