A Richmondite is hoping to connect with community members and start a dialogue about the toxic drug crisis in honour of his brother who passed away last year.
On Dec. 14, 2022, Trevor Tablotney's brother Curtis passed away from a toxic drug overdose while playing video games in his Richmond home.
To remember Curtis and in light of the first anniversary of his passing, Trevor is inviting community members to join him for a chat on Thursday, Dec. 14 at the bench dedicated to his brother in Minoru Park.
The bench is "just a short walk from the office where Curtis worked," reads his invitation.
"My family and I are having a really hard time with the anniversary and the grief that comes with the holidays minus one," Trevor told the Richmond News.
"I am especially upset that my brother won’t get to celebrate with my daughter who he was excited to meet but never met."
Curtis, who was 36 years old, is remembered as an "intelligent, caring, affectionate, adventurous" and fun individual who saw the good in everyone.
Some topics Trevor hopes to explore include what the community can do for families and people affected by the toxic drug crisis in B.C.
"I wholeheartedly believe the solution starts with honest dialogue and working together to end the stigma surrounding the leading cause of death in our country," he explained.
Raising awareness after a loss
According to data from the BC Coroners Service, 189 unregulated drug deaths were recorded in October, bringing the total so far in 2023 to 2,039 deaths.
In Richmond, four more people died from suspected drug poisoning in October and a total of 20 deaths have been recorded this year.
During the past year, Trevor said he has been doing his best to "keep busy" and raise awareness about the toxic drug crisis. In particular, he has been raising funds to fix up Curtis' beloved Mitsubishi 3000GT, a car that was featured in the first Fast and Furious movie.
Titled "Curtis' Dream," the project aims to deliver harm reduction information and Narcan kits and build connections using the car as a "conversation piece."
"When you lose someone to an overdose, sometimes it feels like you lost the battle. I’d like to change the narrative for folks that have been taught that this is a war," Trevor explained.
"There is no fight or battle if we just come to terms with the fact that people do drugs and we shift our perspective."
The car is now drivable and will get a new look when it's wrapped in a custom purple design in honour of Curtis.
The project has been a "wild experience," Trevor said, as he noticed everyone involved seemed to have experienced the loss of a loved one due to an overdose.
"It only highlights how common the overdose story is and why we need a project like Curtis’ Dream to ignite conversation and drive change, promote kindness and understanding and to end the stigma around drug use," he added.
He's planning to hold a video game fundraiser for the project as a nod to his brother's love of video games and the role it played in their childhood, but in the meantime, community members can support the project by donating to the GoFundMe.
For those interested in speaking with Trevor on Thursday, he will be at Curtis' bench "from sun-up to sunset."
Curtis' bench can be found near the water feature in Minoru Park off Bowling Green Way.
"I am excited to engage with the community on December 14th. I know it will be a hard and emotional day for me but we end the deadly narrative around drugs by talking as a community," said Trevor.
- With files from Maria Rantanen
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