I grew up on a council estate & became a homeless drug addict but FREE Turkey Teeth will make me a TV star
MANY think it’s virtually impossible to break free from a cycle of drug abuse and that once it takes hold, there’s no way out.
But the complete opposite is true for Stee Lee, who at 32, has turned his life around after spending 14 years battling drug addiction.
Not only has he stopped ravaging his body but he’s also no longer homeless and he’s set on getting a job.
To top it off, he’s managed to get himself a sparkling set of brand new teeth via TikTok – and they were completely free.
And he says they’ve given him a new lease of life now he’s on the right path.
But the journey to where he is now hasn’t been easy for Stee, from Birkenhead, Mersyside, who says his abusive childhood with an alcoholic mum was a catalyst for his addiction.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, he reveals how he was beaten black and blue by his mum as a youngster.
“Don’t get me wrong there was a lot of love there, but there was trauma that came with that, to the point where I got taken off my mum and put in the system at 13, it should have happened sooner,” he says.
Home conditions were so bad for Stee, whose dad left before he was born, that he decided to run away at the age of 11.
“In year 7, I ran away with two black eyes, friends took me in for a couple of weeks, and then social dropped me off at my dad’s and then he took me back to mum’s,” he explains.
Stee recalls how the beatings and neglect were so severe, even his teachers gave him money for bus fare so he could stay at his friends rather than go back home.
But at 13, social services became involved and he went to live with his aunt.
While he admits times at home were bad, Stee says he now understands where the pain and suffering his mum caused came from.
She was suffering from her own trauma, raising four children at just 22 and being an alcoholic herself – a cycle which he is set on breaking.
“I look back at my mum’s life and understand where it comes from,” explains Stee.
“Mum passed away two years ago, there was a lot of love there, she used to break down crying when we talked about it, but now I understand what it’s like being an addict,” he adds.
After moving in with his aunt, Stee decided to try his first hit of drugs, cannabis, cocaine and even amphetamines.
“Growing up on a council estate you get the good and bad, I can’t remember much back then because of the trauma,” he explains.
I lost every single job because of it, KFC, Maccies, coffee shops.
Stee Lee
“I moved out at 16 (from his aunt’s), but was evicted from my new council home after six weeks for partying with friends. School mates wanted to go there instead of the park.”
Stee turned to couch surfing – jumping from one sofa to another – but was technically classed as homeless whilst being addicted to cocaine. He couldn’t hold down a job either.
What It's Really Like Growing Up On A Council Estate
Fabulous reporter, Leanne Hall, recalls what it's like growing up in social housing.
As someone who grew up in a block of flats on a council estate, there are many wild stories I could tell.
From seeing a neighbour throw dog poo at the caretaker for asking them to mow their lawn (best believe they ended up on the Jeremy Kyle show later in life) to blazing rows over packages going missing, I’ve seen it all.
While there were many times things kicked off, I really do believe most of the time it’s because families living on council estates get to know each other so well, they forget they’re neighbours and not family.
Yes, things can go from zero to 100 quickly, but you know no matter what you can rely on your neighbour to borrow some milk or watch all of the kids playing outside.
And if you ask me, it’s much nicer being in a tight community where boundaries can get crossed than never even knowing your neighbour’s name while living on a fancy street.
“I lost every single job because of it, KFC, Maccies, coffee shops,” he recalls.
“I was fired from every one for doing drugs on shift and getting caught.
“I’d do 12-hour shifts seven days a week to afford it, none of it went on rent because I didn’t have a home – all my wages went on drugs.”
Stee then decided to move from Bootle, Lancs, to Liverpool and into a council house but his life continued to spiral. He was evicted again at the age of 21 for failing to pay rent as he continued to blow his money feeding his addiction.
He was homeless for another nine years, continuing to couch surf at his aunt’s or cousin’s houses – a cousin who he describes as being ‘more like a sister’ up until the age of 30.
I thought ‘what am I doing with my life?’ I used to be a dancer, I was going somewhere.
Stee
Both Stee and his cousin suffered with drug addiction but made a pact to go sober together.
But when Stee’s cousin died by suicide following mental health struggles, the death was a huge turning point and spurred Stee to get clean four years ago.
Stee battled hard to fight temptation, turning to TikTok to keep him occupied during the pandemic.
But trolls latched onto his account and urged Stee to go live on the app to take drugs – they even sent him money – so they could watch his addiction take place in real time.
“People were making troll accounts about me, making cartoons of me living in a crack den and being homeless.
“That’s when I started watching myself back and thought ‘what am I doing with my life?’ I used to be a dancer, I was going somewhere in life,” he says.
He came off TikTok for a few months to concentrate on curing his addiction.
And when he went back to the app a few months on to share his recovery, this time he received huge support.
So much so, his followers inspired him to keep going on the right path.
“Without the support of my TikTok followers I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he says.
Now Stee, who has ditched drugs completely continues to rebuild his life. He has his own home, a place he calls his ‘sanctuary’ and has mended the relationship with his dad.
“When I got clean, he took me on holiday to congratulate me, it feels nice to feel some love from your parents,” he adds.
But there was still one thing left for Stee to fix so he could finally start life again – his rotten teeth.
I saw so many horror stories, but I felt like a celebrity with the treatment.
Stee Lee
He didn’t have the money to pay for a new smile but in May this year, Prime Health Concept, a cosmetic surgery company from Turkey, got in touch with him on TikTok completely out of the blue.
They’d picked up on his journey and offered him the £5,000 procedure for free.
“I didn’t believe it at first I was in shock, I thought it was a lie, I was looking for payment plan options to get them done, so when they reached out I cried, it made me feel like an influencer, it was a big thing for me,” he says.
“I saw so many horror stories – a relative of mine went with another company in Turkey and he was in pain for eight weeks then had to pay another £2,000 to get it fixed.
“But I felt like a celebrity – being offered the treatment and while I was in the VIP lounge in the airports on the trip. I only bought dinners,” he says.
Stee, who has 52k followers on TikTok, says his new teeth have in fact changed his life and he now hopes pursue a career as a dance teacher or work in TV.
“My confidence has grown, its changed my life, I can smile again.”
Finding Help For Addiction
There are a number of resources to help you or a loved one come through the other side of drug addiction.
A GP is a good place to start. They can discuss your problems with you and help direct you to the right treatment.
If you’re having trouble finding the right sort of help, call the Frank drugs helpline on 0300 123 6600.
Or visit Adfam where you’ll fine a full list of support organisations in you area.