Peter's Story

Last September, I met Peter and his Peer Support Worker, Adam.

When I first met Peter, he greeted me with a smile. We sat down at a table outside, and within minutes, his story began to unfold.

From getting to know Peter, I can tell you that he is resilient, humble, grounded, hopeful and authentic. His story feels real and full of heart.

Peter grew up in Durham, with dreams of making it into hockey. When an injury cut his career short, everything changed. “After hockey, it was drinking then drugs”. What followed were twelve to thirteen years of active addiction.

Peter’s childhood was unstable, with his father struggling with mental health and

incarceration. Through his adulthood, he moved between treatment centres, shelters, hospitals and the streets.

A turning point came when Doors of Compassion’s Peer Support Team connected with him.

With encouragement from peers like Adam, Peter stepped into recovery. First entering Harbour Lights Salvation Army’s treatment program, followed by post-treatment housing at Redemption House.

Peter mentioned, “This time was different. I was just so tired. Physically and mentally exhausted from living that life. I scared myself. Looking in the mirror brought me to tears.”

Over a year later, Peter is in recovery and is an active member of the AA community.

Small acts of kindness bring him moments of hope. “Every day I see little moments of hope — someone holding a door open, asking how you’re doing. It makes you feel cared about.”

On his recovery journey, he has been able to reconnect with his family, including his mom, who is also in recovery. He has started working part-time, with goals of getting back to hockey and maybe boxing. “My goal is to contribute to society. Maybe go back to school so I can help others.”

Meeting Peter left a lasting impact on me. Hearing his story reminded me of how powerful connection and compassion can be. His honesty, strength and determination to rebuild his life is an example of what true resilience looks like.

“We’re all equals. We just need someone to put their hand out.” -Peter