The power of peer support and shared experience
Peter grew up in Durham with dreams of a career in hockey. But when an injury ended those dreams, his life slowly unraveled. “After hockey, it was drinking, then drugs,” he says. “Twelve or thirteen years of addiction, and I just kept sinking.”
His childhood was shaped by instability, a father struggling with mental health and incarceration, and the constant search for belonging. As an adult, he found himself moving between shelters, treatment centres, hospitals, and the streets. “I’d miss curfew, lose my bed, and end up outside. I got frostbite, pneumonia, I was hospitalized all from one weekend not going inside.”
Everything changed when DOC’s Peer Support Team reached out. For the first time, Peter connected with people who understood. “It’s easier to talk to someone who’s been through it,” he explains. “You know they’re not judging you. We’re all equals, we just need someone to put their hand out.”
With encouragement from peers like Adam, Peter entered Harbour Lights Salvation Army’s treatment program, followed by post-treatment housing at Redemption House. Collaborations between DOC, Mission United, and other community partners ensured a seamless transition back into stability.
“This time was different,” he says. “I was just so tired, physically and mentally exhausted from living that life. I scared myself. Looking in the mirror brought me to tears.”
Now, over a year later, Peter is in recovery and active in the AA community. “Every day I see little moments of hope, someone holding a door open, asking how you’re doing. It makes you feel cared about.”
He’s reconnecting with his family, including his mother, also in recovery, and starting part-time work while exploring ways to give back. “I want to get back into hockey, maybe boxing. My goal is to contribute to society, maybe go back to school so I can help others.”
His message to others is simple: “Never give up. Hang with positive people. The staff at CFOC will do everything for you, you just have to want it.”
Peter’s story is a testament to the power of shared experience, and to the transformative strength that comes when compassion meets connection.