Although the holiday season can be a time of celebration, it can be difficult for those who are grieving the death of a loved one. That’s why the Elgin Street Mission held a Christmas comfort service to remember those who have died due to the opioid crisis.

The service was held Wednesday evening at the Tom Davies Place Home in downtown Sudbury. As opioid-related deaths have reached alarming levels, the event aimed to provide support to those struggling with grief at this time of year.

It included speeches from Amanda Labreche, director and chaplain of the Elgin Street Mission, and Gerry Lougheed Jr., local philanthropist and Sudbury funeral director.

Those present were invited to write the names of those who had died on decorations and hang them on a Christmas tree. The tree will remain in the City Hall foyer for the remainder of the holiday season.

“We’ve lost so many people to the opioid crisis. We had a list of names that seemed endless. We’re going from first to second in the country in opioid deaths. And that’s a really big problem.” , explained Labrèche, referring to the list of more than 200 names of people who died by overdose or drug poisoning in Greater Sudbury.

“It’s not something we’re proud of, but I think it’s important to come together to recognize the loss and be there for the families,” the chaplain said.

According to Public Health Sudbury & Districts, there have been 124 suspected drug poisoning-related deaths so far this year. There were 135 in 2023.

“The holiday season is very difficult for people who are grieving. It brings back all kinds of memories, sometimes also guilt and shame. And so I think it’s really important to come together and celebrate, maybe “Be not the way people died, but the way they lived,” Labrèche said.

Lisa Groulx was among the parents in attendance, as her son, Alec, died from an accidental fentanyl overdose on October 8, 2022.

“I found him in his apartment, so it was the most devastating day of my life. I am very traumatized by it and I think it is a memory that will stay with me forever,” Groulx said.

Alec was 27 when he died. His mother remembers him as a talented musician, songwriter, and “life of the party.”

Groulx said events like the Christmas Comfort Service are important because they put a face to the statistics.

“You just hear a name and you’re like, OK, you know, but if you know them a little bit, you find out that they’re human. You find out that everyone has problems and we can get a handle on that,” Groulx says .

She said the service also allowed her to grieve with those who understand what it means to lose a child.

“I was born to be his mom. That’s what I was born to do. And now I’m a little lost because I don’t really know my purpose right now,” Groulx said.

It’s a feeling that Theresa Desjardins identifies with. She lost her youngest son, Noah, when he was 20 years old.

“He had a bad accident and had to take heavy medication. (There) came a point where the medication stopped and he just had numbness elsewhere,” Desjardins said, explaining that her son had become addicted to the medication which were prescribed to him.

“He was with his neighbors and they called me. They just told me that he had died, that they couldn’t save him.”

She describes Noah as a charismatic, confident and natural comedian. She said the service was her chance to honor her son.

“You don’t want people to forget about them or forget that this is a real problem, and things like this allow people to come together and feel more alone.” I am not the only mother in Sudbury to have lost a child. child,” explained Desjardins.