--- title: This Former Skid Row Heroin Addict Now Makes Millions Selling Juice description: Two decades ago, Khalil Rafati was strung out on heroin and cocaine. After rehab, he founded Sunlife Organics juice and is now a millionaire. authors: - name: Rob Wile url: https://money.com/author/rob-wile/ at_money_since: 2017 articles: 191 covers: - Lifestyle - Business - Career Advice - Economy and Politics - Education - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Personal Finance - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology social: - https://x.com/rjwile former_staff: true published: '2017-03-29T14:51:09.000Z' modified: '2024-04-02T05:33:25.000Z' section: Lifestyle tags: - Addiction - Entrepreneurs - Food & Drink - juice - rich word_count: 241 canonical: https://money.com/sunlife-organics-ceo-khalil-rafati-heroin-addict/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Khalil Rafati of Sunlife Organics](https://img.money.com/2017/03/170328-khalil-sunlife.jpg) *Khalil Rafati* Two decades ago, Khalil Rafati was sleeping on the streets of Los Angeles, strung out on heroin and cocaine. Today, [according to a new BBC profile](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39339036), his company, Sunlife Organics, makes $6 million annually between its six stores and online website, and Rafati himself is a millionaire. "I don't consider myself super intelligent," Rafati told the network. "But I have a hunger for life, and put all of myself into something when I decide to do it." Rafati says the turning point came after his ninth overdose, after which he finally checked himself into rehab. "I was arrested more times than I can remember," Rafati said. "I was completely messed up... I was always in so much pain that I couldn't sleep." The stint was successful: He was able to start holding jobs again, and eventually opened up his own rehab center, where clients would stay for $10,000 per month. There, Rafati began concocting juices to help with detox. Their reputation soon began to spread, and Rafati opened his first juice outlet in 2011. Sales topped $1 million that first year. Sunlife, which sells a popular clothing line in addition to food and juices, now employs approximately 200 people. Read the full profile on [BBC.com](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39339036). And if you want to read even more about Rafati's life, check out his [autobiography, *I Forgot to Die*](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619613743/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=money018f-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1619613743&linkId=4c90a4c49996b1f576fcd112521fbda5), published in 2015. *We’ve included affiliate links into this article. 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