To the teenagers who recorded a woman overdosing at the Lynn Valley Waves Coffee this evening....
Hi all,
I had a pretty upsetting talk with my boyfriend who called 911 for a woman who appeared to be overdosing by the Lynn Valley Waves Coffee. He said that a group of teens nearby were filming the transpiring events while himself and another man were watching over her for any changes until paramedics arrived.
Thankfully, first responders were able to revive her.
As a fellow Lynn Valley resident, I understand the concerns which many people have for homelessness and addiction in Vancouver and especially over here on the great Shore of the North, and I also recognize how difficult/stagnating the progress is.
However, I also believe that these unfortunate moments should encourage us to talk more seriously about compassion during emergencies, as well as basic emergency response awareness for our youth.
I understand the devil's advocate argument that filming this might "raise awareness". But I also strongly believe that any person- whether they are from here or not- deserves basic dignity and that should be prioritized alongside their safety.
I truly believe that we are better than this. Please look out for one another. I know it's hard to love these days. Our taxes build cities and education, but our love and empathy are what makes a community.
Have a good night, happy Friday.