Hundreds Celebrate Recovery at Winnipeg Event

Lillian Cook walked through The Forks in Winnipeg on Sunday with a message she wanted everyone to see. On one side of her bright orange sign: "Recovery is Possible." On the other: her own journey through 25 years of addiction to four years of sobriety.

"I want them to be encouraged that I did it after 25 years," Cook said. "That's a long time to be addicted to something, so recovery is possible."

Hundreds gathered at the Recovery Day event to celebrate people in recovery, challenge the stigma around addiction, and share resources with those who need help. The afternoon featured live music, food trucks, a kids' zone, and most importantly, stories of hope from people who've walked the difficult path to sobriety.

Cook, a member of Sagkeeng First Nation, credits her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for giving her the strength to fight for sobriety. "They brighten my day up," she said. "They make everything worthwhile."

David Benoit took the stage despite his nerves about public speaking. The Winnipeg resident once struggled with fentanyl addiction so severe he attempted suicide. Today, he works as a recovery support worker at Debwewin Recovery & Wellness Centre, an Indigenous-led treatment facility in Manitoba's Interlake region.

"There's probably somebody here that's sitting there with a smile on their face, but inside they're struggling and losing hope," Benoit told CBC after his speech. "I just wanted to share my inspiration and my story with people, show them that there is another way."

Why This Inspires

Events like Recovery Day do more than celebrate individual victories. They create communities where people in recovery can find support and those still struggling can find hope. When someone like Cook shouts her success "from the rooftops" after a 25-year battle, it reminds others that the path forward exists.

Manitoba Housing Minister Bernadette Smith said sharing these stories breaks down stigma and provides tangible hope. "Often people, when they're in their substance use disorders, they may not see that hope," she said.

Cook hopes to see more gatherings like this, especially as addiction rates continue to rise. She got help from other women in her First Nation and wants others to know that support exists. "There's so many people that are out there suffering with addictions, and a lot of people don't know where to turn to or where to go," she said.

Her message remains simple but powerful: You have to fight for recovery, and you have to want it, but it's absolutely possible.