Instant Toronto Star** Bestseller**
From Hockey Night in Canada’s Scott Oake comes a heartfelt and candid memoir detailing his son’s battle with opioid addiction and how he transformed a father’s worst nightmare into hope for others facing similar struggles.
A father’s love. A heartbreaking drug crisis. A powerful plea for action.
When seasoned broadcaster Scott Oake first cradled his newborn son, Bruce, he could never foresee that Bruce would become a casualty in the ongoing fight against opioid abuse.
In those initial days, Scott, a new dad, observed Bruce with admiration, recognizing the potential of his charming, witty boy. However, as Bruce grew, he faced challenges fitting in at school and began to exhibit symptoms of ADHD, including impulsive behavior that often led to trouble. Scott and his wife, Anne, did their utmost to support him, and for a while, Bruce found a sense of community through boxing and local rap competitions. Yet, when he became entangled in a world of drugs and gangs, Scott and Anne were thrust into the harsh reality of loving someone struggling with substance use disorder.
Then, on a seemingly ordinary day in 2011, Scott received the dreaded phone call every parent fears: Bruce had suffered an accidental overdose. At just twenty-five, Scott’s vibrant, creative firstborn was gone forever.
This devastating loss could have shattered a man, a marriage, and a family. Instead, Scott, Anne, and their younger son, Darcy, channeled their grief into a mission to assist the thousands of Canadians grappling with addiction. After nearly a decade of fundraising and navigating complex bureaucratic challenges, they established the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre—a groundbreaking treatment facility staffed by individuals in recovery from addiction.
For the Love of a Son tells the tale of a father’s unwavering love for his child. Above all, it narrates the story of a young man whose life was cut short and a family dedicated to providing others the opportunity to rediscover their paths home.
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