Iain

Submitted by: Mother
Born: 1990
Died: 2015
My Tribute: My only son Iain died on March 22, 2015 of a heroin overdose. He struggled with substance use disorder his entire adult life. He was found in a public washroom. The day of his death would have marked his 14 month in recovery. He was loved by many people and its heartbreaking to live in a society that doesn’t promote harm reduction, provide ready access to treatment, criminalizes and creates stigma and shame for those afflicted with this mental health issue. My heart is full of compassion for myself, Iain’s sisters, father, all those who loved him, and all others whose lives are impacted by substance use disorders. Iain didn’t want this disease and tried so hard to stay in recovery. Substance use disorder has taken millions of lives and continues to impact so many people. With greater support people like Iain have a better chance of staying in recovery.