WATCH: A Duncan woman marked a milestone in her recovery from addiction to crystal meth and heroin Friday. For the first time in her son’s six years alive, she prepared to celebrate his birthday with him, complete with a cake and gifts.
Patience Delaney was all nerves and excitement at her shopping trip to the Duncan Food Bank Friday.
“I’m super excited,” said Delaney.
She was preparing for her six-year-old son’s birthday dinner and picking up a cake. It’s the first time she has been able to celebrate with him as she recently cleaned herself up from an addiction to heroin and crystal meth.
“It’s my first real birthday that I get to be sober and clean with him,” said the Duncan woman.
“And feel like I’ve accomplished something and get to hug him and just get to be with him today.”
Food bank workers say without knowing it, she’s inspiring others.
“She’s helped herself and its a tremendous thing that it helps everybody when you can see somebody succeeded where they were really down and out,” said Duncan Food Bank volunteer Sally Burrows.
“You can always make changes and she’s a perfect example of that,” said Canadian Mental Health Association Outreach Worker Kim Ayr.
“It’s pretty recently that she’s come through from being homeless to being housed and getting more access to her child.”
Delaney wasn’t only living on the streets. She was living in a Duncan marsh along the Trans-Canada Highway. Two-and-a-half months ago, she says she woke up freezing cold and wet and decided to make a change.
“I was homeless, living in a tent,and I was honestly afraid to show my face to anyone,” said Delaney.
Still, the young woman went to her parents who had been caring for her little boy.
She said she wanted to get clean and did and ever so slowly has now received access to her son.
“I love him,” said Delaney.
“I love him so much. I had him when I was 15 years old.”
As word got around the food bank of his birthday, even those struggling pitched in to help her make it special.
“Someone from the community who was upstairs and heard the story just came by and said can you give that to that mom so she can buy a birthday present for her baby,” said Duncan Food Bank Manager Colleen Fuller as she handed Delaney a $50 bill.
“That’s so sweet. Thank-you to whoever did that,” said Delaney.
“I’m going to get a birthday gift for my son now.”
Skye Ryan
