Peter
"I wish you had the opportunity to do all the things I now enjoy doing."
Peter writes a letter to his friend, Philip, who died due to alcohol in 1997.
Hello Phillip,
It’s been a long time.
We went to school together. Where we lived in each other’s pockets and went through so much pain and joy. I miss the brotherly banter. I knew you would have my back and I would have yours. I miss the camaraderie.
The people who should have protected you didn’t. You were only fifteen. You were shy and wouldn’t speak out. You were small and wouldn’t fight back. But I will fight back for you now. We would talk about plans we had in the future and l remember these conversations fondly.
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I still miss you being around. I wish you had the opportunity to do all the things I now enjoy doing. I think about this a lot.
You didn’t get the help you needed, and because of this you used alcohol to numb the pain. I spoke out for you during the abuse inquiry because you didn’t have a voice. They tried to discredit you because of your background, but I will never allow that to cast a shadow over our friendship or pain we suffered.
You’re not here to tell your story, but I’ll never let your voice be silenced.
Your friend, Peter.
Philip's death was preventable.
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Peter's story shows the devastating impact the loss of a life to alcohol or drugs has on the family and friends left behind.
We have the power to create change, especially when we come together to take action. You can support this work by agreeing to the "See Beyond" pledge below.
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“I pledge to be respectful and compassionate towards those affected by substance use, including the families and friends of those who have died from alcohol or drugs.
I will show respect by using kind and non-judgmental language about those affected by alcohol or drugs.
I will show compassion by reaching out to someone who has lost a loved one to alcohol or drugs and asking them how they are doing today.”
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Thank you for making a difference.
We have compiled some resources to provide support to people who are affected by someone’s drug/alcohol use as well as those impacted by the death of a loved one due to drugs/alcohol.
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