From BC cabinet to sleeping under a bridge, Vancouver man shares his story of recovery

published on June 29, 2015 by Dan Fumano in The National Post

Relaxed on a comfortable couch in the newly built high-end condo tower he now calls home, Marshall Smith doesn’t need to look far to see where he spent some of the lowest times in his life.

It’s only a stone’s throw – but a world away – from his 21st-storey condo to the spot under the north end of the Granville Street Bridge, where Smith, then homeless and addicted, lived for a time in an old steel shipping container.

Smith described his journey over the last 15 years, from a one-time rising star in the BC government to a homeless addict on the streets of Vancouver to his happy, healthy present and promising future.

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In his work now, Smith is in regular contact with Dr. Evan Wood, Vancouver Coastal Health’s medical director for addiction services.

Wood said: “There’s a huge proportion of people and Marshall is a great example, who are in long term recovery and I think we can have every expectation that they’ll continue to be successful in their recovery. We need to celebrate that, and we need to learn from it. It’s a story that needs to be told.”