Voice of drug addicts Tonny Van Montfoort died at the age of 58 (Antwerp)

Tonny Van Montfoort died of an illness at the age of 58. As a former drug addict, he presented himself as an advocate for drug addicts and the homeless. Van Montfoort was behind initiatives such as the Spuitenruil and the annual commemoration of deceased homeless people.

Van Montfoort came into contact with drugs at a young age. He got his addiction under control after contacting the Free Clinic. Van Montfoort founded the Interest Association for Antwerp Drug Users (BAD). He worked for the city of Antwerp for a while and started working at Free Clinic.

“The fact is that in the past, and I am talking about the 1980s, there was never any discussion with users, there was no safety net, no assistance,” Van Montfoort said in an interview in Solidair in 2017. “It was either the street or the prison. And that decision was made in your place, your own opinion or story had no importance. I have experienced that personally. That is why I and a few colleagues and other experts have started a kind of union for users to give them a voice.” Van Montfoort then took to the streets in the company of the ex-police dog Snap.

Dignified burial

Van Montfoort was based on the Spray Exchange and the Spray Patrol. With ‘t Vlot street pastorate he ensured that deceased homeless people received a dignified burial. Every year there is Remember Us, where the names of the homeless who have died are read out. He was an advocate for the design of user areas for drug addicts.

Tino Ruyters, director of the Free Clinic, describes Van Montfoort as a warm person who, based on his own experience, has helped many people with addiction problems. “He also succeeded in transferring his knowledge and insights to professionals and policymakers,” says Ruyters.

In a documentary about European interest groups of drug addicts in 2020, Van Montfoort testified about the difficult life of drug addicts. “I lost almost all the people I loved to drugs,” he said.

In that same documentary he had a glimmer of hope about the situation of drug addicts in society. He saw interest groups emerge in various countries. “We still have a long way to go, but we are taking steps forward,” said Van Montfoort.