An open letter to any present member or alumni of The Young Canadians

First and foremost I would like to acknowledge those who have come forward and put an end to something so grim. You are all courageous and strong individuals who put yourself on the line to make sure no one has to go through this ever again. As a TYC (The Young Canadians) alumni myself, I understand the position you were in. It must have been very daunting to come forward against an individual who has been a part of the company for so many years, but I cannot express enough how important your roles have been in this case. I want you, and any other member of the TYC community, to know that you are not alone in any of this. Theo Fleury (along with others) created a non-profit called the Breaking Free Foundation, inspired by his childhood experiences. By his side is a group of outstanding individuals who draw upon their own experiences to help guide members of the community through a difficult but important healing process.

The foundation offers monthly meet-ups where others come to speak about their trauma and create an open and comfortable space to share and support each other. They are completely free and require no obligation. I understand it can be difficult to find good resources and I only wish to connect those who are healing with a wonderful group of people who understand.

I know this may seem all a bit strange and challenging but this is exactly why Theo and his team started this foundation, and as TYC alumni I hope to offer some help and healing. If you are uncomfortable attending a meet-up alone, I would be more than happy to offer to go with anyone who feels that this could be something that helps them. Alternatively, you are welcome to email the BFF team and I can guarantee you will get a personalized response should that be a more comfortable option.

I only wish to share a very important and beneficial resource to those affected by these events, and I would like to emphasize that the Breaking Free Foundation has open doors to everyone and not just those directly affected. We want to help provide survivors of traumatic life events with the treatment and support needed to reclaim their lives.

Should anyone wish to reach out to me directly, you can email me at jackiewasden@gmail.com.

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think” – A.A. Milne, Winnie The Pooh.

You are not alone,

Jackie