Meet Crystan.

She was raised in Newfoundland and had a good childhood as a young girl. However, she vividly remembers her addiction beginning when she was 13 years old after the passing of her uncle, with whom she was very close. “The pain I felt after my uncle’s passing was so great that I started drinking alcohol to get drunk, I absolutely loved it”.

Crystan moved with her family to Grand Manan when she was 15 years old. It was at this point that she began to try other drugs. “My friend asked me if I wanted to try Cocaine” she explained, “… I didn’t really know what it was, so I was willing to try it. We started doing lines that night with a plastic straw and I fell in love with the buzz it gave me”. While she loved the feeling that Alcohol and Cocaine were giving her, Crystan knew that her addiction was getting worse. “I realized that my addiction was directly related to my grief. Losing those I loved, losing a job, fighting with friends and the list goes on. I buried all my grief under it.”

For nearly two decades she wrestled with both addiction and grief. It wasn’t until the age of 35 that Crystan started doing crack and at that point, she said that she knew she needed help. “I lost my job, my apartment, and even lost contact with my family and friends.” After attending multiple detox and rehabilitation centers, Crystan attended Naomi & Ruth Rehabilitation and Wellness Center. There she would successfully complete the program, “… January 28th, 2020, is my sober date!”

Upon nearing the end of her program, Crystan had taken a job working in the recovery field and was happy with her employment opportunity at the time. She was familiar with the work of Harvest House and couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to work with the people who were in the place that she once was. She decided to take a part-time role in our Community Centre and soon after accepted a full-time position. “I knew I was being called to work in the Community Centre, which is funny because a few months earlier I would have never wanted to do that.”

Since taking on a full-time position in February of 2021, Crystan has become a pivotal part of our staff team at the Community Centre. Not only does she do her job well, but she forms a unique bond with every guest she crosses paths with. “Working at the Community Centre has been so humbling. It really reminds me of where I was…”.

We are so thankful for Crystan and her commitment to Harvest House Atlantic; we couldn’t do what we do without her!

**The following story represents the personal experiences and views of the participant. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Harvest House Atlantic or any individuals mentioned. Shared with permission.