Bill’s Story
Others, AddictionsContributed by: Union Gospel Mission
“As a parent, you never think this will happen to your child. We bore the brunt of the emotional roller-coaster that addiction brings. There were better times, but they were fleeting. They mostly raised our hopes, only to see our daughter spiral even lower. We were desperate and at our wits’ end. We thought we would lose her. In our minds, we started to prepare for the worst.”
“Where our daughter is today is nothing short of a miracle! I’m ashamed to say that even as a highly compassionate person with over 30 years of public service, before, I viewed people struggling with addiction as somehow, partially responsible. I now know this typically isn’t the case.” — Love, Your Neighbour Bill
When Bill and Frid’s daughter Megan started struggling with addiction, they did everything in their power to support her, providing financial, medical, psychiatric, and housing help. But what made the biggest difference in helping her in recovery was their unconditional love. Although there were times where Bill and Frid feared the worst, dad and mom never gave up on Megan. And today, their family is so much closer, and so much stronger because of it!
Every day, the painful effects of poverty, homelessness, and addiction extend to a struggling person’s loved ones—but too often, the conversation doesn’t. It’s time we change that.
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Love, Your Neighbour 💌 is a space for you to share your story. With your voice, we can destigmatize the conversation, and learn to love our neighbours with the kind of compassion that changes lives. If addiction, poverty or homelessness has affected your life, leave some encouraging words for those still experiencing this. #LoveYourNeighbour