Today’s post I’m writing while still in shock but feel it’s important because no one is immune and it could have been in your neighbourhood and likely is and all across the country.
Here’s the link to the Art Project on the fence — https://wendydphoto.wixsite.com/aboutdamnspot
Some photos of the last 4 weeks of work: Koko ArtDog on guard
We just reached one of our goals of 200 “piece” flags flying and then this happened:
Yes every last one of the “piece” flags were torn DOWN. Every last one after weeks of coming together; using the needle to create a positive visual (not used to inject drugs); to create a beautiful visual (or at least a pleasant one); threading connections between shapes (connecting us to humanity); heading for a positive change in dialogue about ugly issues… So I received a text from Katie who came with sizzors to help out, sent a message to Maux to please help and then there was Suelina who magically appeared to help out — hood serendipity!! The result:
Yes, yes, yes these amazing human beings on the planet made it all come together!! The installation on the fence restored to tell it’s story and how great was it talking to people who came along while we worked: several people from the camp and tents, some liberal minded community members, and even a young journalist from BCIT who was doing her do diligence before tomorrows protest at 7:30 am.
But this is where the post begins. While we were working the fence Maux noticed 2 young people by the tree at the end of the fence by the baseball diamond. She said ‘look at those 2 openly using’, while I said “Oh ya I saw them vaping but didn’t see any needles”. About 2 minutes after that one of the 2 went into an over dose. Maux knew immediately what was happening and ran down the length of the fence yelling “Narcan! narcan!” after telling me one of them is ODing!!! I stood there in shock and watched the whole scene unfold — I recall calling out Narcan narcan too but had no idea why or what it meant.
A guy in a sweatsuit ran past me to the couple and was holding a needle in the air, preparing to inject the person in OD mode. He was calm and paced and looked like he knew what he was doing. Maux came back towards the scene on her phone as she was talking to 911. The guy who was trying to revive his friend did not really know what to do and people gathered. Another woman on the scene brought out another Narcan kit and they injected the person who died another time to bring them back. After 2 hits it worked and the guy said “she’s breathing, she’s breathing”. The ambulance attended and eventually went away. She lived.
Maux had saved her life, along with the others. OMG I still can’t believe this happened in the park today. There were 5 or 6 of us who witnessed this incident and Maux was so upset, understandably what an experience. The woman came back to life in time to reach for her beer can as that was what was on her mind, while all the others around her were scrambling to save (or witness saving) her life.
Today I learnt what “Narcan” is. I learnt what to do when someone is in an overdose situation. It’s so confusing as I’m happy this person is alive and I’m happy I learnt what to do but I’m also sad that I now know these things. I’m also upset because if Maux hadn’t been on the fence with me today surely that woman would have died because I had no clue as to what was going on.
I’m also mystified that as a city, province and nation we have not solved the issues that go along with “homelessness” so that people have a safe and clean place to live and practice whatever they practice without the risk of dying. This happened to be my experience today but it is happening in your neighbourhood too, in your province, in this country and around the world every single day.