Guy Felicella once struggled with substance use disorder during nearly two decades in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and came near to death six times in his life.
In the years since, it's become his mission tell his story and remind students they are not alone.
High school students heard that story, while learning about the importance of fighting stigma around mental health and addictions during a Feb. 26 Felicella presentation in Williams Lake.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a huge thing to know that there are other people in this world who have struggled from a very young age and who have made it out in their adult years,B次元官网网址� said Laurel White, a harm reduction coordinator and drug checking technician at the BGC Williams Lake Club.
B次元官网网址淲e know we have lots of students that struggle with addiction issues, and we just want to bring in as many ways as possible to, to help them and support them,B次元官网网址� said the schoolB次元官网网址檚 principal Curt Levens.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty hard to tell a 16, 17, 18-year-old what to do,B次元官网网址� he said, adding the more information students have, the more positive choices they can make.
Felicella recounted how growing up in a B次元官网网址渄ysfunctionalB次元官网网址� household meant he faced uncertainty both at home and at school, with teachers asking him why he wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy to manage like his peers. As he got older and grew resentful, Felicella said he began to seek ways to distract himself.
B次元官网网址淚 was constantly distracting myself from sadness more than I was ever happy,B次元官网网址� he said.
Sports were one way to do that, but they lasted only a few hours. One day, he found what he thought was a solution.
B次元官网网址淚 thought I found the greatest thing I ever found in the world, which is street drugs, something that could just immediately take it over,B次元官网网址� Felicella said. B次元官网网址淲hat no kid could understand at 12-years-old is that maybe those drugs that saved his life were going to progress into an addiction, and one day those drugs would end his life.B次元官网网址�
Felicella got caught up in gangs, went through juvenile detention at 14-years-old and was homeless at a young age. He talked about his journey towards learning to forgive himself, and about finding the goodness in life.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 such an inspiration to show that it is possible, you can be entrenched in experiencing homelessness, using substances for two decades of your life and in your later adult life you have a chance when you are ready to escape that and move forward,B次元官网网址� White said.
B次元官网网址淗e isnB次元官网网址檛 forcing anyone through recovery or through harm reduction, heB次元官网网址檚 just really advocating for people to be met where theyB次元官网网址檙e at to get the help when theyB次元官网网址檙e ready.B次元官网网址�
Every year the high school tries to organize events which bring more information to students around topics teenagers commonly struggle with. Levens said students can access counsellors at WLSS and services such as BGC, Foundry, Interior Health and Denisiqi Services Society are always welcome to meet with students needing support.
Felicella also visited the Child Development Centre, the BGC and Esk'etemc First Nation to tell his story, which he also brings to countries around the world.
