While Joe Gladding chose to do drugs and alcohol, he did not choose to become an addict.

“What I have chosen is to be an addict in recovery. I will always say that I’m an addict because, if I forget that, I’m bound to repeat the same mistakes. I stand here today for my friends that can’t stand here today,” Gladding said.

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Gladding, who is a peer outreach worker with the Huron Perth chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association and is currently celebrating 12 years of recovery, was speaking Friday morning at the Stratford ceremony to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.

The well-attended event saw people gather at city hall to mark the day, which is officially happening across the world on Sunday, with a flag-raising and moment of silence to remember those wh

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