Northern Ont. family giving back in light of tragic overdose

A mother from Sagamok Anishnawbek, about an hour and a half west of Sudbury, is sharing her story after losing her daughter to a drug overdose four years ago.

Charlene Sterling Owl is coming to Sudbury on Sunday to honour her daughter by distributing food, clothing and essentials to the homeless and to help overcome stigmas surrounding substance use issues.

Charlene Sterling Owl, left, and her sister Cheryl Sterling will distribute food, clothing, essentials and treats to people with no shelter or substance issues in downtown Sudbury on Sunday. It’s giving back in memory of Charisse April Owl, who died of an overdose four years ago. (Alana Everson/CTV News)

Sterling Owl is packing up essentials and special items donated by community members. She is distributing them to the vulnerable this Sunday afternoon in the parking lot across from the Samaritan Centre.

It will be four years to the day she lost her daughter, Charisse April Owl, to an overdose.

“She overdosed Nov. 24, 2020. That morning changed my life forever," Sterling Owl said.

"The toxicology report said that she had overdosed on pure fentanyl."

She said helping people with no shelter and substance use issues is her way of giving back.

"It’s just taking care of others and helping others who may not have support and who may not have family," Sterling Owl said.

"I know a lot of people who have family members (that) have turned their back on family who are struggling with addiction and maybe it’s because they don’t understand or they are not educated. That’s why I say it’s very important to get educated."

A memorial in the family front yard honours Charisse, who was a mother of four children.

Sterling Owl hopes events she holds, the memorial and a billboard in the community help educate people about overdoses, addiction and eliminate the stigmas.

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"My daughter has a lot of underlying trauma and she never dealt with it and so it was a way she coped," she said.

"I just think that when you educate yourself you have a better understanding of addiction and how one may come to be … struggling with addiction."

Sterling Owl has held many community events to give back and educate people about addiction and said she plans on continuing those efforts.