It乌鸦传媒檚 been 503 days since Lisa Jilg said goodbye to her son Travis Thacker, but time, as well as the judgment from others, has done little to soothe the pain.

For the West Kelowna mother, it乌鸦传媒檚 how her son went that remains the toughest part.

乌鸦传媒楽o much fighting just to lose him乌鸦传媒�

When Thacker turned 21, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, it took years for their family to find him the right medication. While living at home, he would do well. However, Jilg explained, when he visited with his friends, he would sometimes dabble in drugs.

乌鸦传媒淭en months before I lost my son 乌鸦传媒� and he overdosed, and I was out of town. I found him, and I was able to bring him back to life,乌鸦传媒� said the mother.

Thacker was on life support for three weeks, during which time some recommended Jilg take him off and let him go. Miraculously, he came out of it 乌鸦传媒減erfect乌鸦传媒� with no lasting side effects.

Jilg and her family moved to West Kelowna to pursue a business opportunity, launching what is now Got Phones N乌鸦传媒� Repairs Ltd.

Four days after arriving in the Okanagan, 29-year-old Thacker visited a friend, and shortly after, Jilg received a call saying her son had overdosed again. The two had bought cocaine together, which was laced with fentanyl.

乌鸦传媒淲hen I went to the hospital, I think I was just in shock, but I think I knew that it was different this time. They kept telling me that there was too much brain damage for him to come out of this one.乌鸦传媒�

After three days in the hospital, Jilg took her son off life support. Thacker died on Oct. 17, 2019, with his mother at his side.

乌鸦传媒淗e was my sidekick乌鸦传媒� he was my soul mate. So much fighting just to lose him.乌鸦传媒�

Despite having video footage of the man who sold them the laced drugs, Jilg said police told her an investigation was impossible due to a lack of evidence.

Deaths like this are happening in B.C. at an alarming rate. On March 2, a report published shows there were 165 fatal overdoses in the first month of 2021.

乌鸦传媒楾hey feel very alone when they are judged乌鸦传媒�

When people find out how her son died, some are judgmental, Jilg says. This is a stigma she乌鸦传媒檚 hoping to extinguish 乌鸦传媒� alongside terms such as 乌鸦传媒榡unkies.乌鸦传媒�

Jilg hopes the public can find empathy for those who struggle with mental health challenges.

乌鸦传媒淧eople don乌鸦传媒檛 understand that these are humans too and that they have parents that are grieving their loss乌鸦传媒� the biggest part I hate is that they say drugs are a choice. And what they don乌鸦传媒檛 realize is that 90 per cent of these people deal with a mental health issue. And if they乌鸦传媒檙e not getting the proper care through mental health, then this is going to happen.

乌鸦传媒淒rugs are inevitable. They want to feel comfortable, they want to feel like themselves again, and I know that was my son乌鸦传媒檚 issue乌鸦传媒� They feel very alone when they are judged the way that they are, and it乌鸦传媒檚 a cause for more drugs.乌鸦传媒�

She described her late son as brilliant and selfless, with the biggest heart.

乌鸦传媒淣o matter what issues he had going on, laughter was his cure. He just wanted everybody to laugh and be happy. He just wanted to be accepted. That乌鸦传媒檚 all he wanted.乌鸦传媒�

After losing Thacker in 2019, Jilg went straight back to work, trying to keep her mind busy. It was only after talking with a woman who walked into her store that Jilg reached out to . There, she found support through women who had similar experiences.

A regular volunteer with Moms Stop The Harm, Jilg joins many other mothers in the fight to decriminalize drugs. All mothers in the group have lost children to a fentanyl overdose or have children who currently use.

The West Kelowna woman is trying her best to turn this tragic event into something positive and prevent other parents from going through what she did.

At her business, she collects donations from customers in the form of clothing and money, which helps fund mental health support groups. During the winter, she drives around town looking for cold people in need of a warm jacket or toque.

To contribute, get in touch with Jilg at her store, Got Phones N乌鸦传媒� Repairs Ltd. Visit to donate, or for more info.

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com

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