B.C. girl who lost dad to overdose says there needs to be more support for families

A young B.C. girl is sharing her story about loss and grief as the province continues to struggle with the epidemic of deadly drug overdoses.

Abby Bocking Reid, 12, lost her father to a drug overdose five years ago.

“He was the type of guy, he wanted to help everyone or like as many people as he could, which see where I get it from now,” Bocking Reid told Global News.

She said right after her dad passed she doesn’t remember much due to her brain wanting to block out the grief.

“But after that, I remember it being hard and easy at the same time,” she said.

“Because I was only seven at the time. So I didn’t exactly know what was going on. But once I started to figure it out more and more, that’s when I wanted to help other kids in other families.”

Bocking Reid said therapy has helped her and perhaps the chance to talk to other kids in similar situations might also have helped.

“I didn’t know how to feel because I didn’t know how to talk to anyone,” she added.

“I didn’t know how to talk about the big heavy topics. But as I got older, I more and more understood what was going on and what needed to happen around this subject.”

0:31177 people in B.C. lost their lives to toxic drugs in February

After searching for help, Bocking Reid said her family was fortunate enough to get assistance through Lumara, a non-profit organization that helps families deal with loss.

“There needs to be more government action,” she said.

“Kids who are sitting alone and scared are just adults and teenagers who are sitting alone. They don’t know what to do because they can’t find that support. And they don’t know where to look. That’s sad. Terrifying.”

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Lumara said since 2023 it has seen a five-fold increase in families impacted by drug-related deaths and it is having to turn more and more people away.

“Right now there’s thousands of children and families who are struggling amid the unexpected death of a loved one,” Heather Mohan, the co-founder of Lumara said.

“And they are overwhelmed by sorrow and they’re not able to find the support and resources that they need to navigate their trauma and grief.”

Mohan said they hear from families who want a place where they can speak freely and openly and get the help they need.

Bocking Reid’s mother says Lumara has made a huge difference in her and her daughter’s life.

“I’ve noticed that she’s been able to advocate for what she needs (and) reach out to her counselor for support when she needs it,” Kimberley said.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions told Global News that last year’s NDP budget provided more than $236 million over three years to create new and expanded mental health and addiction services for young people.

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