Steve Gosselin spoke to us about his very challenging life of homelessness and addiction.  Steve had a horrible childhood in a home where violence and alcohol addiction was rampant.  Steve began drinking heavily at 13 years old.  Steve was told by his father to leave home at 16.  His two younger siblings had left earlier, and his mother soon followed.  His father, an air force pilot was addicted to alcohol and was a very violent person.  Without any money, or a home, Steve ended up in Fort Nelson, B.C., where he continued drinking heavily.  Three years later Steve found himself in Calgary, and then Ottawa, where he discovered cocaine, and crack cocaine.  He remained addicted to these and other drugs until the age of 46.

 

Steve spoke about his never feeling like he belonged and that he never felt he could do anything well.  He is a carpenter by trade, and shared that he has never been completely satisfied with any work he’s done, no matter how well it actually is done.

 

On February 1, 2006, at 46 years old, Steve entered the addictions program at the House of Friendship, where he began his road to recovery.  He shared that he had three relapses after first entering the program, and that he has been clean ever since.  Steve is currently an outreach worker for the House of Friendship, in addition to his carpentry, and he shared that his trying to help those who are addicted has been therapeutic for him, and has helped him to stay clean.

 

Steve’s honesty and insights were extremely touching and educational for many of us at the meeting. Many Rotarians left feeling thankful for having been given lesser burdens to carry through life than Steve.