Dave Gallant once told his mother that addiction is “a battle every day of your life.’’
Gallant, who was born and raised in P.E.I., was working in the U.S. as a teacher when he had knee surgery and developed an addiction to prescription painkillers.
The addiction consumed his life.
He lost everything, including his marriage and his house.
He spent time in jail followed by months at a recovery centre.
Gallant then started volunteering at The Main Place in Newark, Ohio - a consumer-operated mental health recovery centre.
He went on to work there for months as a site supervisor.
“Everyone was saying he was just doing amazing, amazing work with this place,’’ says friend Doug McColeman of Ottawa.
McColeman was no stranger to Gallant’s passion for helping others.
About 20 years ago, the pair was working for a Catholic youth outreach ministry that did retreat work for high school age children.
“He was just an all around good guy,’’ says McColeman.
“He definitely had a heart for helping others. He was a compassionate guy who was a good listener and he was able to help others through experiences he had gone through.’’
Noreen Gallant of Bonshaw says her son had righted a rocky ship.
“He turned his life completely around,’’ she says.
“It took him awhile. He never lost faith in God or his religion.’’
The 39-year-old Gallant was leaving morning mass Friday morning, cycling to work, when a vehicle struck him.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It definitely came as a shock...it was a shock to a lot of us,’’ says McColeman.
McColeman created a gofundme site to raise money to bring Gallant’s body home to P.E.I.
Noreen Gallant calls the site, which had raised almost $3,500 by late Tuesday afternoon, a lifesaver.
“The people are really generous...everybody has been so helpful,’’ she says.
Now she and her husband Dave Sr., along with their children Chris and Lisa Gallant, are waiting for the body of their loved family member to be brought home, hopefully this week to allow for a funeral to be held early next week.
Noreen says her son was a compassionate man eager to help others, making his work at The Main Place a perfect fit.
“He just took everybody by heart and it didn’t make any difference the religion or the education or the personality,’’ she says.
“He was there for all of them.’’
Noreen adds she only wishes the best for the 23-year-old male driver of the vehicle who accidentally struck her son down.
“We just want him to get on with his life,’’ she says.
“It’s what Davey would want. Davey would not hold a grudge against anybody.’’
Dave Gallant once told his mother that addiction is “a battle every day of your life.’’
Gallant, who was born and raised in P.E.I., was working in the U.S. as a teacher when he had knee surgery and developed an addiction to prescription painkillers.
The addiction consumed his life.
He lost everything, including his marriage and his house.
He spent time in jail followed by months at a recovery centre.
Gallant then started volunteering at The Main Place in Newark, Ohio - a consumer-operated mental health recovery centre.
He went on to work there for months as a site supervisor.
“Everyone was saying he was just doing amazing, amazing work with this place,’’ says friend Doug McColeman of Ottawa.
McColeman was no stranger to Gallant’s passion for helping others.
About 20 years ago, the pair was working for a Catholic youth outreach ministry that did retreat work for high school age children.
“He was just an all around good guy,’’ says McColeman.
“He definitely had a heart for helping others. He was a compassionate guy who was a good listener and he was able to help others through experiences he had gone through.’’
Noreen Gallant of Bonshaw says her son had righted a rocky ship.
“He turned his life completely around,’’ she says.
“It took him awhile. He never lost faith in God or his religion.’’
The 39-year-old Gallant was leaving morning mass Friday morning, cycling to work, when a vehicle struck him.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It definitely came as a shock...it was a shock to a lot of us,’’ says McColeman.
McColeman created a gofundme site to raise money to bring Gallant’s body home to P.E.I.
Noreen Gallant calls the site, which had raised almost $3,500 by late Tuesday afternoon, a lifesaver.
“The people are really generous...everybody has been so helpful,’’ she says.
Now she and her husband Dave Sr., along with their children Chris and Lisa Gallant, are waiting for the body of their loved family member to be brought home, hopefully this week to allow for a funeral to be held early next week.
Noreen says her son was a compassionate man eager to help others, making his work at The Main Place a perfect fit.
“He just took everybody by heart and it didn’t make any difference the religion or the education or the personality,’’ she says.
“He was there for all of them.’’
Noreen adds she only wishes the best for the 23-year-old male driver of the vehicle who accidentally struck her son down.
“We just want him to get on with his life,’’ she says.
“It’s what Davey would want. Davey would not hold a grudge against anybody.’’