Families, friends of overdose victims share pain of loss at Vancouver vigil

Dozens gathered on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Sunday to light candles andshare stories about potent opioids circulating in the community and about those who have died fromoverdoses.

"I'm here because I've lost 25 friends and family members since May," said Angel Gates, a member of theHaidaNation. "I've gone to three funerals in a weekend.

"It's heartbreaking. You start to just expect it. I'm trying so hard to not becomedesensitized. It's just insane how many people are dying. Our government needs to do something to stop this."

In 2016,914 people died of drug overdoses in the provincean increase of nearly 80 per cent from the year before.

And the end doesn't seem to be in sightas an even more potent narcotic than fentanyl carfentanil was recentlyconfirmed in drug users in Metro Vancouver.

The vigil at " target="_blank">Pigeon Park in Vancouver's Downtown Eastsidewas organized by Karrie Barefoot and Audrey Sieglwho, between them,lost a son and a mother to overdoses.

Siegl, a Musqueam woman and activist, said her mother was sent to residential school at the age of four and left at 16.

"Because of real damage and trauma that was done to her, she was never able to heal, she was never able to have a moment of peace [or]dignity."

This week, mayors from a dozen major Canadian cities launched a task force to tackle the opioidcrisis.Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson will lead it.

It's meant to share experiences and best practices in an effort to stem the escalating number of overdose deaths.

Meanwhile, those at the vigil hoped it would provide something to help cope with all the sorrow.

"This is a vigil to provide hopefully some comfort, some peace, some healing," Siegel said.

Others, despite tragedy in their own lives involving their own addictions, abuse, poverty and the death of families members, are fighting to stay hopeful.

Ben Mark and Barbara Abrahams came to the vigil with theirson, Daniel. Both have had family members die of overdoses.

"It takes people to stand for the people we have lost and the people that are out here struggling," said Mark."This epidemic is taking so many people.

"What we'd like to say to everybody is that there is hope. Reach out to somebody, reach out to those places where you know people are getting better. Just keep fighting, love your loved ones."

• CBC series, the Fentanyl Fix
• Why we all have to be part of fixing the fentanyl crisis
• Kati Mather'sshare story of success at vigil

With files from Tina Lovgreen.