EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an ongoing SooToday series — 'Turning the Tide' — that explores potential solutions to our city’s toxic drug crisis. You can read more about our project HERE.
He didn’t want to die.
That’s what Chris Breathat had to say about his son, Justice, who passed away from fentanyl poisoning on July 3, 2023, at just 26 years old.
On that heartbreaking day, Breathat found his son while they were getting ready to go to a family gathering – and his life hasn’t been the same since.
“I look at his photos and I cry. I just hear his name and I cry,” an emotional Breathat told SooToday.
Justice grew up as an air cadet and even knew how to play the bagpipes.
Breathat said his son was a fun-loving young man.
“He was shy, he was happy – loved fishing, loved camping – but he was struggling, just like the rest of the people in the city,” he said.
Justice is just one of many who were remembered this evening, where over a hundred stood in the sun-dappled shade near the Memorial Wall for International Overdose Awareness Day.
Survivors, loved ones, friends, and supporters gathered around names of dozens lost to drug poisoning – their names inscribed upon the wall – to remember, grieve, and hope.
“Our loved ones are dying from drug poisoning. Nobody wants to die,” said Connie-Raynor Elliott, founder of Save Our Young Adults.
“I hear stories every day – every day – because of the illicit drugs on our streets and every other community.”
While the number of opioid-related deaths recently declined in Sault Ste. Marie, the city’s opioid death rate has routinely placed among the top in Ontario in recent years – with Sunday evening’s crowd standing as a harrowing testament to that fact.
“Without our volunteers and our agencies and everybody, we couldn't do what we do. Our numbers have gone down, and that's amazing, but we need those numbers to be zero,” Elliott said.
“My dream for SOYA is to close us down.”
For Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, this evening’s event is a “powerful reminder of what’s at stake.”
“Each name represents a life cut short. We honour their memory and we commit ourselves to prevent further losses by continuing the work that needs to be done,” the mayor said.
“We'll continue to advocate relentlessly for the resources and meaningful investments, treatment, prevention, housing and recovery that our community needs.”
Along with other members of city council, Shoemaker said he recently advocated to open up the planned HART Hub in Sault Ste. Marie as quickly as possible during meetings with provincial ministers in Ottawa.
“We will continue to push for that to happen until it actually happens,” he said.
“We must also confront stigma. Far too often, those who struggle with substance use disorder are met with judgment instead of compassion. Addiction is not a moral failing, it is a health issue. People deserve treatment, support, and dignity – not shame.”
Sunday evening’s sentiments resonated with Breathat, who saw there are many others facing loss like his own his family.
“I see there are other people that are in the same position, missing loved ones, family members – and it's true – it’s not like they want to go out and do this stuff and die.”
