« We finally have our son back with the help of Portage Atlantic »

Testimonial of parent at a family support group – Cassidy Lake

Note: They have chosen not to have their names attached

Our son, 19 at the time, was struggling with addiction, which we were not aware of. We thought it was just weekend drinking with friends, but it was more than that. He was good at hiding it until it got out of control and he decided to turn his life around. We were shocked to hear that he was also addicted to drugs.

Our son made the decision to get better. He contacted Portage and set up a tour and then asked us if we wanted to go with him for the tour. We were happy he decided to go through the program, but we also didn't know if he would stay in it. It was the hardest decision of our lives to drop him off and hope he finishes the program. He had some struggles and asked to go home a few times, but with the help of the wonderful staff and counsellors at Portage Atlantic, we were able to convince him to finish the program as it would give him the tools for a healthy and addiction-free life.

On August 1st, it was 2 years since he had been free from addiction and is doing great—finishing college this fall, working every summer. We finally have our son back.

Portage is an incredible facility for youth struggling with addiction and low self-esteem. All the staff, clinical and other, are great human beings who dedicate their time and put their hearts in it to help these young people learn to live a better and healthier life.

We cannot express our gratitude to them as well as all the organizations who make great donations to this centre to keep it running. In today's complicated world, where everyone is struggling to make sense of it all, the youth are very vulnerable, and we need to have treatment centres like Portage to help them navigate through it all. The continued support through staying in touch with the youth once they finish is amazing. There is always someone on the other side of the phone at Portage who is ready to listen and jump in if they ever need advice or reminders about how to tackle certain situations.

Thank you, Portage and all the staff, past and present, for your heartfelt dedication to the wonderful young lives you are saving. You are true heroes.

Parent at a family support group, Portage Atlantic, New Brunswick, 2025