Described as compassionate and caring, quick with a laugh and genuinely kind, he had family members and friends who loved him dearly and in turn he loved those around him.
Ben died of an overdose on Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 at the age of 24. In the eyes of far too many, he became just another statistic, another name to add to a list that is instantly forgotten.
His father Tim Adams wishes it wasn’t that way. And that Ben could have found the help he needed in his darkest hours.
“He was a great kid, very outgoing and boisterous, big smile, big heart and loved everybody, but he struggled with addiction from before he was born and just couldn’t get past it,” an emotional Tim said on Tuesday evening during a community gathering for International Overdose Day. “Then COVID didn’t help things at all, and the isolation was too much for people with mental health issues and it was a struggle, there were some bad drugs and he didn’t make it.”
Ben’s family helped him as much as they could, but even then, it wasn’t enough. Now, more than a year since his passing, Tim wishes some of the measures and awareness seen today were around back then, leading to stories like Ben’s having a vastly different outcome.
“For us, it’s too little too late, the support that the government and society has been bringing is far too little,” Tim said. “Before he passed away, we tried to get him into a detox centre and they turned him away… all these kids who have passed away, they’re still people, there’s still a story behind them and they have family.”
That was one of the core messages behind the Moose Jaw community gathering for International Overdose Day. The event was the first of its kind in the city and offered a chance for participants to advocate for more awareness and more support while passing on as much information as possible.
Sadly, Ben's story was just one of many with similar outcomes.
“We’ve lost people, these are somebody’s daughter or brother or sister or son and there are going to be personal stories told today of loss that families have experienced and how hard that is,” said Jody Oakes with the John Howard Society and one of the event's organizers. “There’s such a stigma around substance abuse, and this is what we want to be able to do, bring the community together and break down some of those stigmas.”
The event included a table staffed by medical professionals with naloxone injection kits and Narcan nasal spray, with the goal of distributing the kits, providing information and even showing how to properly use them.
“Every day, I’m on the streets and working with our homeless people and people who are struggling with substance abuse, and a naloxone kit or Narcan kit can save someone’s life,” Oakes said. “There’s a stigma around that, too, and we need people to be aware that if they need a naloxone kit, until they’re ready and able to get better, it doesn’t matter if it’s the 10th time or the 110th time, we’re there for them.
“That’s why those things are so important, having those kits and the training here today. In this day and age, you never know when someone is going to have an overdose, and it could be anybody.”
Those who stopped by could also pick up a bite to eat and if needed gather supplies from a take-what-you-need table that included clothing, hygiene items and other essentials.
“At John Howard, we do this every day,” Oakes said. “We give snack bags, we give personal hygiene items, anything people might need. That’s why having this table is so important, people know they can come and take what they need, it’s to give back and help people out.”
Overall, though, the main goal could be found in the name of the event: awareness. And helping the community get on board with everything that’s happening.
“It helps show family members of people we’ve lost that they’re supported as well,” Oakes said. “It affects the whole community, not just the people who are sick with this disease. I think as a community we need to do better and have more opportunities like this.”
Tim Adams agrees.
“Certainly better mental health services, but there needs to be a bigger clampdown on drugs and bigger penalties for people who deal them,” he said when asked what could be improved. “It’s just getting dangerous out there, it’s a crapshoot any time they do something. I don’t know what the answer is, but something has to be done.”
Ideally, with enough effort, International Overdose Day will no longer have to exist. But until that time, the work will continue.
“It would be awesome to not have to do this any more,” Oakes said. “I see this every day and it tugs at your heartstrings… there are so many people who are struggling. But right now, we have to have these events and we need to have these conversations. I want people to know they’re supported, we hear lots of things and see lots of things on social media, but they’re a person. It’s not what we think. And they deserve our help.”
