It has taken me days to accept that my friend Brent is not here anymore and I still can’t really find words for what this sweet man has meant to me and my own recovery over the years.

Beyond holding space as one of the few people I know who look hot with or without a beard — which I will gladly admit was what I noticed about him first and is VERY RARE — this handsome guy made space for me in Oregon’s recovery community when no one else would. He saw value in my journey from there to here, and he made sure other people knew it. He showed me respect in rooms I had been disrespected in and fought for me, and others like me who had carved their own path to recovery, to have a space at the big table. And it worked.

Part of what was always so sad to me before was this feeling of disconnection from traditional recovery communities and movements, given my stance on harm reduction vs. abstinence and other hit songs 12 Step folks historically loved to hear me sing. Brent actually did, though. He wanted to burn down the stuff that didn’t work for people and create new ways of saving lives. And he saved countless of them.

I am sad that he is gone and I just want to say out loud how important he was…and still very much is.

Love you forever, Brent Canode! ❤️