Budding artist Michael Petteri Rantanen, 25, perhaps would have appreciated the new mural on the side of the Squamish Overdose Prevention Site.
The design of the painting, which took shape over the weekend, is the result of months of outreach and consultation, with help from the Community Action Team at Under One Roof.
By artists Gabriela Lech and Louis Sobol, the colourful mural is sorrowful and hopeful at the same time.
But Rantanen never got a chance to see it.
He died on July 15 from toxic drug poisoning.
We have lost so many in this province and in this corridor.
Rantanen was from Vancouver.
The lack of public outrage over these deaths shows that somehow, as media, we have failed to convey the deadly shrapnel-like impact of this crisis.
The latest BC Coroners report says that more than 10,000 people have died as a result of the opioid crisis since it was first declared a public emergency in 2016.
In 2022, 73% of those dying were aged 30 to 59, and 78% were male.
There are currently about 4.9 deaths per day in B.C. from this crisis.
We see them in Squamish.
Rantanen’s mom, Maria, who is a fellow reporter with Glacier Media, describes losing her son as having her heart ripped out.
Too many parents and partners know this pain.
Rantanen symbolizes all those we have lost.
“The only glimmer of hope I have is if his death is an example of government and society utterly failing vulnerable people who use drugs to ease whatever pain/mental health issues they have,” Maria said.
Her son was a “compassionate, intelligent, creative young man with immense potential. He touched a lot of people because he was tolerant and accepting of them. He was also funny, inquisitive and I think that’s why people loved to hang out with him,” she said.
“When his friends were going through stuff, he was there for them. Conversely, his friends tried to support him. That wasn’t enough as he struggled with anxiety and other mental health issues — and that’s where our mental-health system failed him.”
Kudos to her for speaking in her grief.
Maybe if we, as media, show more of this raw pain, more of you will start to care and demand that something change.
At the same time, we can recognize the resilience, value and strength of those who continue to contribute to their community while they battle addiction.
And we can admire those like Nicola Keate, who wrote a column for us on surviving and overcoming addiction.
Like the mural, there is deep sorrow and eternal hope in this other public health crisis.
We just have to stop to see them both.
Maria asks those who can visit and donate to Moms Stop The Harm, an advocacy group working to change government policy.
She shares her son’s artwork on Twitter @HaneyInkslinger.
Here is a beautiful tribute to my son Michael who was killed by poisoned drugs. https://t.co/sgMrWhrSRL
— Maria Rantanen (@HaneyInkslinger) July 28, 2022
