Unsilencing Stories

Episode 23: Clinton Gravelle in Cranbrook, B.C. Remembers his Cousin

March 25, 2023 Unsilencing Stories
Unsilencing Stories
Episode 23: Clinton Gravelle in Cranbrook, B.C. Remembers his Cousin
Show Notes Transcript

In this episode, you will hear Sydnee Trasca interviewing Clinton Gravelle in Cranbrook, B.C. about his cousin who died from an opioid overdose. 

Jenna Keeble  00:00

Unsilencing Stories is a podcast that reflects the voices of people in small towns and communities in Canada, who have lost loved ones to the toxic drug supply crisis. Since 2016. More than 30,000 people have died from fatal overdoses in Canada and that number continues to climb. The risk in smaller towns and communities is much higher than urban areas because of a lack of harm reduction services, and stigma against substance use and people who use drugs. This podcast is part of a community based participatory research project facilitated by Aaron Goodman, Ph.D., a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, B.C., along with students Jenna Keeble and Ashley Pocrnich.  

The aim was to assist collaborators in publicly memorializing their loved ones and expressing grief as well as challenging silences imposed by dominant media organizations and stigma from society against substance use and people who use drugs. We hope these nuanced stories make it clear why the government needs to be doing more to prevent further deaths. Please note this podcast contains information about overdose death, grief and trauma that may be distressing to listen to. In this episode, you'll hear Sydnee Trasca interviewing Clinton Gravelle in Cranbrook, B.C., about Clinton's cousin who died from an opioid overdose.

 

Sydnee 01:13

Tell me your first and last name.

 

Clinton 01:16

Clinton Gravelle. 

 

Sydnee 01:18

Where do you live?

 

Clinton 01:20

Cranbrook, B.C.

 

Sydnee 01:23

Is there one person you would like to speak about who died from an overdose? What was his age?

 

Clinton 01:35

25-26.

 

Sydnee 01:37

Where did he live?

 

Clinton 01:39

On the next trailer park from me.

 

Sydnee01:44

Could you describe a moment or time that you shared together? What do you remember most about it?

 

Clinton 01:55

Took Clinton to his first bar when I was babysitting down the street. He was pretty young and parents caught me taking him to the bar and you know, drinking. 

 

Sydnee 02:16

What was your relationship to him? 

 

Clinton 02:19

He was my cousin. 

 

Sydnee 02:22

What is your first memory of him?

 

Clinton 02:24

Just probably like drawing and boxing. Talking about boxing.

 

Sydnee 02:35

What did he mean to you?

 

Clinton 02:37

He was my cousin. He annoyed me a lot of times, but I loved him.

 

Sydnee 02:45

Are you comfortable, can you talk about his death?

 

Clinton 02:49

Right now? Obviously.

 

Sydnee 02:51

What's been the hardest about losing him?

 

Clinton 02:54

I was at a lake, with some friends and I get a call saying that he OD and the call was saying he was in my trailer so just put a shadow on a nice day for sure.

 

Sydnee 03:09

What would you ask if he were here today?

 

Clinton 03:12

Everything. 

 

Sydnee 03:24

Was there anything you and him disagreed about, fought over, or experienced some conflict around?

 

Clinton 03:30

Yes, just the things he used to do. 

 

Sydnee 03:42

What about him makes you smile?

 

Clinton 03:44

This one time, he came back from the bar, and he was so drunk, and he sounded pretty funny. 

 

Sydnee 04:14

Do you have any favorite jokes he used to tell?

 

Clinton 04:20

We should go be a champion fentanyl user.

 

Sydnee 04:26

What were his hopes and dreams for the future?

 

Clinton 04:30

Probably becoming an MMA fighter.

 

Sydnee 04:38

How are you different now than you were before you lost him? 

 

Clinton 04:44

I'm more like him now.  

 

Sydnee 04:47

What has helped you the most in your grief?

 

Clinton 04:49

The loss of my ex, I guess. 

 

Sydnee 05:00

Did he have any nicknames for you, and do you did you have any for him?

 

Clinton 05:07

Just Bathon. He used to call me Goonie.

 

Sydnee 05:18

What do you think he valued most in life?

 

Clinton 05:24

His family. Father, he made his father proud.

 

Sydnee 05:31

How would you describe his personality?

 

Clinton 05:35

Very outgoing. He would always try and make people laugh in my experience.

 

Sydnee 05:48

When was the time that he was embarrassed?

 

Clinton 05:53

When we all gave him shit for being all downed out in front of us. 

 

Sydnee 06:01

What is your earliest memory of him?

 

Clinton 06:05

Just playing video games and him and my dad would go drinking with his dad. Go to the mall or played video games or whatever.

 

Sydnee 06:16

Was he chronically late or early?

 

Clinton 06:23

I think he was always on time.

 

Sydnee 06:30

Do you remember any favorite stories about childhood that the deceased loved to tell?

 

Clinton 06:38

That story about taking him to the bar.

 

Sydnee 06:41

Were there any major changes to the deceased life that affected them in big ways?

 

Clinton 06:50

Yes, fentanyl use. 

 

Sydnee 07:19

What was his favourite colour?

 

Clinton 07:23

A bit of everything.

 

Sydnee 07:55

Did he have a signature saying?

 

Clinton 08:00

"Hey gum boots, you're going to go for a ride, it's teatime".

 

Sydnee 08:17

How did he impact your life?

 

Clinton 08:20

I didn't really know until he wasn't around.

 

Sydnee 08:23

How will you honor his memory? 

 

Clinton 08:25

By keeping the trailer park lingo alive.

 

Sydnee 08:33

Oh, what do you wish you had said to him before he died?

 

Clinton 08:39

I'd probably have a good talk with him before he died. That I miss him a lot.

 

Jenna Keeble 08:57

That brings us to the end of this episode of the Unsilencing Stories podcast. To listen to more interviews in the series, please go to www.unsilencingstories.com, and if you'd like to share your thoughts on the episode, message us at unsilencingstories@gmail.com. Thank you so much for listening and please share the project with other people you know.