“I was drowning in grief”

Malcolm Lamont has experienced tremendous pain and loss, but transforming hope and restoration too. He told Direction his story.

Malcolm Lamont’s childhood was dominated by trauma and tragedy.

His twin brother died at eight days old, his dad was paralysed by a drunk driver when he was just one and he was placed in care when his mum could no longer cope.

At his children’s home, children were beaten and kept in pyjamas for months at a time to stop them running away.

Rebelling against authority became Malcolm’s norm and by 16 he was in borstal.

“My childhood was traumatic and I often felt lost and abandoned,” he says.

To cope, Malcolm turned to drugs and alcohol, with crime to support his addictions. A string of convictions led to years in and out of prison.

Tragedy struck again and again. Malcolm lost his brother Nigel to a heroin overdose, then his other brother was murdered.

“Losing both brothers in such tragic circumstances was almost unbearable. My heart felt like an endless void as grief turned to anger and despair. I spiralled further and further into addiction thinking nothing could ever bring me back.”

Malcolm got a wake-up call after yet another prison sentence.

“My friends told me, ‘If you don’t get out of Coventry you’ll end up dead’.”

So he moved to Derby to a Christian rehab. Things began looking up.

Malcolm married, but heartbreak struck again when the couple lost their daughter Danielle at birth.

… story continues