EDITOR’S NOTE: The Viola’s Place Society is currently fundraising in an attempt to purchase the building that once housed the LifeShelter. Their deadline is April 30. They are currently $13,000 away from their goal. In an effort to inform people on the issue of homelessness in Pictou County, The News has reached out to people who have first-hand experience either by living on the streets or who live life on the brink of it. This is the first in a series that will be published today, Saturday and in Monday’s editions. For more information on how you can help Viola’s Place become reality visit Viola’s Place Society through its Facebook page or email at [email protected]. Donations can be made at any Scotiabank in Pictou County.
TRENTON
No one has to tell Crystal about homelessness in Pictou County.
She has lived through it a few times in the past 17 years.
Homelessness, addiction and abusive relationships all before the age of 20 – she grew up fast, alone and scared.
She doesn’t live in big cities of Halifax, Toronto or Montreal, but right here in Pictou County. She went to school with other Pictou County children. Her family is still here. She is just one of many people in this county whose life has spiralled out of control to the point of ALMOST no return.
Her story starts when she was 16 years old attending a local high school. She was a good student who wasn’t getting along well at home.
“I had a great home life but I didn’t think it was at the time,” she said. “It got a lot worse when I walked out. I walked the streets at night hoping someone would invite me over or hoping I would be there for a meal.”
Couch surfing is a term she is familiar with. She would stay wherever she was invited and if she didn’t have a place to stay, she would just keep walking. Remarkably, she kept herself in school as long as she could until her Grade 12 year when she got tired of walking.
“I got involved with a guy I shouldn’t have. It was an abusive relationship. I stayed with him because I didn’t want to be on the streets anymore.”
When she finally left him, she found herself on the streets again – walking and couch surfing.
“I ended up with my next partner because I didn't want to be surfing.”
This relationship last 10 years but it wasn’t much better than the first. It was abusive and she lost her two children to community services because of the violence.
They lived in a camper in Mount Thom, winter and summer, as well as a camper in Thorburn until it was destroyed by fire and she lost everything she had to her name.
She left him, but the odds were against her again. Addicted to drugs, battling depression and with no support, she was soon back to couch surfing with him because she didn’t want to be alone.
“In 2013, I finally left him for the final time. I am not sure why, but I finally left.”
Then, for the first time in a long time, things were looking hopeful. She had a job, an apartment and was in a good relationship.
“Life was perfect and then one day I came home and he had hung himself,” she said. “After that I went back to couch surfing and was the worst I ever was. I was staying at one friend’s place then another. I didn’t care. Anything I had of value, I sold for drugs.”
Crystal doesn’t know how long that spiral lasted. Some days she doesn’t know how she lived through it. She lost 80 pounds and was living on nothing.
“In the winter, you try to find anywhere. I have been under the bridge in New Glasgow because there is a bit more shelter there. I know of a couple right now staying in an abandoned house.”
Finally, it took a frank conversation with her mother to open her eyes again.
“My mom took me aside. I didn’t know she knew but she said to me, ‘You’re not living anywhere. You’re not doing anything. You’re losing weight.’”
It was enough to get her back to addiction services for help, but her reprieve from drugs and homelessness was short lived.
Crystal says she tried hard to make it work. She lived with friends and had some good days, even weeks, but then life threw another curveball. She had lost loved ones, people she cared about, and it was enough to make her want to take her own life.
She took all the pills prescribed for her depression and walked to a bridge in Central West River. She was ready to die when someone called her cellphone and she accidently pressed video chat which allowed them to see an image of her.
“I didn’t even realize I answered it,” she said. “They called 911 and there were ambulance and fire trucks there. I was taken to the Aberdeen and then to Truro.”
She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and tried to get help from different medications, but eventually slid back to the vices.
“I finally got an apartment in New Glasgow, but I was so hard into drugs I started to sell drugs,” she said. “I had people living with me I didn’t even know because I didn’t want them living on the streets.”
Eventually she got the wake-up call of all wake-up calls.
“In October 2016, I got into trouble for selling drugs and that ended it all. I put everyone out. Homeless or not, they weren’t living with me anymore. I couldn’t do it. I stopped doing drugs but I relapsed three times until November 2016 when I went to Recovery House for five months.”
And then she was homeless again.
“I came back to Pictou County and I said I am not doing the couch surfing thing again. I am not doing the streets.”
She begged a friend to take her in, but the situation wasn’t ideal because the woman and her boyfriend were active addicts, using her drug of choice on a regular basis.
“I stayed there for 10 days and I didn’t relapse or give up. I don’t know how I didn’t mess up.”
This month, Crystal is celebrating 17 months of being drug free. Her life is quiet. She stays in her apartment, writes poetry and volunteers at both Roots for Youth as well as Viola’s Place Society. She regularly attends and leads narcotics anonymous meetings and wants to start a support group for people with post-traumatic stress. She is also working on mending fences with her family.
“I am trying. I feel I need to give back. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would build a huge apartment building for anyone needing somewhere to stay or have food.”
Now at 33 years old, life is still not easy. She is living off of community services in an apartment building that is less than ideal.
“I have been broke since April 2. I barely have groceries. My mom brought me stuff now, but I struggle to reach out. If I have to go to the food bank I will, but I know people out there need it more. I know people still living on the streets and I have a roof over my head. I feel fortunate.”
When she goes out, she can spot people who are following her path of homeless and addiction, but she knows she needs to keep her distance because she is afraid she will be back there again.
Crystal believes a shelter is the best way to start making a difference. It would give people like her a place to feel safe, a meal and support. A place where they can find out what other services are available in the area. A place where she is not judged.
“People can say, ‘You brought it on myself,’ and I will always blame myself, but you can only blame yourself so much,” she said. “I did what I had to do to get through the rough spots I was in. I put myself in a much worse situation than I deserved to be in or needed to be in to get off the streets.”
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HOMELESSNESS IN PICTOU COUNTY: Life was good – until it wasn’t
BEYOND THE NOTEBOOK: Homeless shelter can be the starting point
