Joe Towstego, an animal lover with a good ear for music, has struggled with substance use for more than two decades. He likes reading English literature, especially Charles Dickens, plays guitar and, at one time, toured across the country playing in a band. He recently turned 41 and is living in and out of shelters in Vancouver.
Lon Towstego, a View Royal resident, lives with the reality that his son could be a coroners service statistic one day, despite the family’s efforts to support Joe and help him into recovery.
“I believe that he is dying a slow death,” he said.