Book tells of addiction battle

A Fleetwood man who battled in vain to help his son beat his heroin struggle is featured in a new book.
Michelle Cowell, Sarah Cowell and Julie Rose with their book, TenacityMichelle Cowell, Sarah Cowell and Julie Rose with their book, Tenacity
Michelle Cowell, Sarah Cowell and Julie Rose with their book, Tenacity

Joe Cowell,76, left Fleetwood before he reached the age of 10, but his early life in the port back in the 1940s is one of the chapters in the book Tenacity.

The book is essentially about two mothers who are friends who sadly both find themselves in the same predicament – both have a son who becomes addicted to heroin at age of 19.

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It is co-written by Michelle and Sarah Cowell, Joe’s two daughters, and Julie Rose.

Joe Cowell, formerly of Fleetwood.Joe Cowell, formerly of Fleetwood.
Joe Cowell, formerly of Fleetwood.

The mothers, Marilyn Cowell – Joe’s wife – and Julie Rose tell their individual stories in the one book, but the stories link in with each other as their sons, are childhood friends.

It depicts the journey the mothers go through with their sons Stephen Cowell and Scott Rose, trying to ‘get them right’.

They are thrown into a world they never knew existed, mixing with unsavoury characters and drug dealers.

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Both frustrated and alone, they are taken to the depths of despair.

Joe Cowell, formerly of Fleetwood.Joe Cowell, formerly of Fleetwood.
Joe Cowell, formerly of Fleetwood.

In the early part of the book, 1940’s Fleetwood is written about as it tells the background of Joe, who later moved to Liverpool and then Swindon but who still has relatives in the Fylde coast port.

Tragically, Joe and Marilyn’s son Stephen and his friend lost not only their battles with the drug, but their lives, dying young.

Michelle said: “The book really is a tribute to what Julie and my parents went through, how hard they tried.

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“Stephen, my brother, appeared to have been winning his fight against the addiction but sadly it didn’t work out for him.

“I think anyone who has been through these kind of struggles will relate to it.”

Joe, whose dad worked on Fleetwood docks, said: “My two daughters have taken three years to write their book and I am very proud of what they have achieved.

“I was born in Fleetwood in 1941 and my mum, dad and twin brother died so I was bought up by my mother’s sister.

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“It took two days to read this book and in my opinion is a best seller and on a level of J.K Rowling.”

Tenacity is now on sale can be found on Twitter @Tenacitybook and copies can be bought via Amazon.

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