Jake Langille died on an air mattress at the age of 27 in his mother91裸聊视频檚 Kelowna apartment on Jan. 22, 2017.
Groggy and lethargic from a night91裸聊视频檚 rest of sleeping pills, Jake91裸聊视频檚 mother ambled to her computer chair91裸聊视频攁s she always does91裸聊视频攏ot wanting to wake her son. After a few years of precarious living, the mother wanted Jake to feel rested and at home in her apartment.
It took much longer than anybody would want to willingly sit in a room, scanning Facebook, waiting for their dead son to awaken.
91裸聊视频淚 couldn91裸聊视频檛 hear breathing, no snoring; he couldn91裸聊视频檛 move,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭hen I looked and he was blue. And that was that. That was the last time I ever saw him.91裸聊视频�
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Jake moved to Kelowna after struggling to find his way in northern Ontario, where the mother and son are native to. His mother moved to Kelowna in 2014 and he visited for four months in 2015 to see if the area could help him move past his struggles.
His mom sent him back to Ontario for rehab and counselling. He wanted to get his life back on track. When he was ready, he came back to Kelowna to get a job, find stable housing and move forward. His mother even made him turn himself into police for a prior drug offence.
91裸聊视频淗e was doing all the right things,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淗e was really a nice kid, he just had his struggles.91裸聊视频�
She doesn91裸聊视频檛 know how he got the money to buy drugs nor does she know where he consumed them and she doesn91裸聊视频檛 know where he got them from, but Jake91裸聊视频檚 blood stream was ridden with various types of drugs that caused an overdose, according to what officials told her.
Jake, according to his mother, was an amazing kid. He was a musician, smart, funny, caring and gentle. She emphasized that the only downfall was that he had his struggles, as many do.
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Gretchen Delguidice was a supporter in Wawa, Ont., and helped guide Jake in the months before he moved to Kelowna to rejoin his mother. She was so inspired by his commitment to healing and helping his friends, that when he passed, she wanted to honour him.
91裸聊视频淛ake was just the most lovable person,91裸聊视频� said Delguidice. 91裸聊视频淚 lost that kid and it was a tough one for me.91裸聊视频�
In 2019, presented by Jacquie Langille (Jake91裸聊视频檚 grandmother) and Delguidice, the Make a Difference Award was priviledged to two Grade 8 students91裸聊视频攐ne boy and one girl91裸聊视频攚ho exemplify kindness and empathy to their peers and their community.
91裸聊视频淭hey make a difference by being just a little different (in a good way),91裸聊视频� the document reads.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 pretty cool, I91裸聊视频檓 honoured and he would91裸聊视频檝e loved it, too,91裸聊视频� the mother said. 91裸聊视频淓specially because it91裸聊视频檚 for the underdogs.91裸聊视频�
The award will be made annual and Delguidice is attempting to create two more awards for Grade 12 graduating students.
The Facebook post by Jake91裸聊视频檚 mother garnered replies that read, 91裸聊视频淲ow91裸聊视频� I love this award!91裸聊视频�, 91裸聊视频淏eautiful91裸聊视频攂rings tears to my eyes91裸聊视频�, 91裸聊视频淚 so love this91裸聊视频� what an amazing legacy91裸聊视频� and so needed. Beautiful91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 at a loss for words, but this truly touched my spirit.91裸聊视频�
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Through Jake91裸聊视频檚 story, his mother wishes for people to understand the opioid crisis, drug addiction and homelessness, although they often correlate, they don91裸聊视频檛 always bind a person to one stereotype. Jake did not die on the streets. He died on his mother91裸聊视频檚 air mattress one dreary, often re-lived morning.
91裸聊视频淭hey are trying to do the best they can,91裸聊视频� his mother empathized with others who struggle in secret.
91裸聊视频淭hey are empaths, the free spirits, the grey in a world of black and white,91裸聊视频� the document concluded. 91裸聊视频淭hese students challenge us to look at life and people differently.91裸聊视频�
David.venn@kelownacapnews.com
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