Published Apr 08, 2025 • Last updated 9 hours ago • 6 minute readA favourite picture of Tina Comeau of her and her son Justin Surette when he was younger and life was simple. Photo by Tina Comeau /Tina ComeauI have a friend who nearly every day on his Facebook page during the winter, counts down the days to spring. His countdown begins each year on the first day of winter.Given how this past winter shaped up, with the bitter cold, snow and ice, I took solace in his countdown because it was a reminder that there is an end in sight.I know there are those who love the beauty of winter and the associated outdoor recreational activities that come with it. But even on April 8, it was still snowing.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentDid Mother Nature and Old Man Winter not pay attention to Kevin’s countdown?When it comes to spring, something that comes to mind is spring cleaning. My husband and I decided to get a jump on this and were on a ‘spring cleaning’ kick during January and February and into March. We cleaned up and reorganized several spaces in our house, notably storage spaces in our basement.I can still picture myself desperately yelling out to him one day, “Don’t throw out the Archie digests!” when he decided to tackle a storage shelving cubby.I know this isn’t possible, but I swear I heard his eyes roll.I’m not sure what it is about those Archie comic digests and why I feel so strongly about keeping them. I bought them as a kid and a teenager. When I got married I brought them from my old home to my new home. There are well over a hundred of them. I haven’t read them, or even opened them, in over 30 years. I suspect I’ll never read them again.Heck, I’ve never even watched an episode of Riverdale.Article contentStill, I’m not ready to part with them.I think it has more to do with the memories of collecting them. I remember the first one I ever bought was at a corner store down the road from my grandparents’ house in Meteghan. It’s probably where I bought my first half dozen of them. It was fun to pick out a new one, go back to their house, and curl up on the floral bedspread in the upstairs bedroom and give them a read. And to do the same at my own house in my own bedroom, minus the floral bedspread.Therefore – much to my husband’s chagrin and confusion – the Archie digests stayed put.Other stuff, though, I admit I had hung onto for far too long.Here’s the thing about storage rooms, we often put something in a tote box or cardboard box, stick it on a shelf and forget about it.But here’s the other thing. Inside those tote boxes and cardboard boxes are forgotten treasures.As my husband and I have stumbled across them, they made us cry and smile.We found a lot of stuff that flooded us with memories of our son Justin, who died in January 2024 of an accidental overdose due to a toxic combination of pills at the age of 21 after years of battling addiction. He hadn’t taken too many pills. He had taken the wrong ones together.Article content Tina Comeau and her son Justin Surette. Tina ComeauLiving life without Justin has been devastating.But the memories we stumbled across in our spring cleaning helped to bring some softness into our raw and broken hearts.There were old hockey photos from throughout the years. I couldn’t get over how much Justin’s looks had changed from one hockey season to the next.There was a speech he had written in Grade 3 about his family, that also talked about things he wanted to do later in life. The best part of his speech was when he described the things he and his Grandpere Alain used to do together. The two of them were inseparable.Now Justin is forever gone. And my dad has dementia so his memories are gone too. But to be reminded of their incredibly special bond, in Justin’s own words, was deeply meaningful.Recommended from Editorial TINA COMEAU: Forever loved, now forever missed – my son Justin’s battle with addiction TINA COMEAU: No family is immune, my son Justin’s seven-year battle with addiction There was a certificate from April 2011 from his teacher for his positive behavior in class that credited him for “participating well and working hard in class and for his sense of humour.”Article contentI loved that she had acknowledged his humour. Justin’s ability to make others laugh is something we will always love, admire and remember about him.In Grade 2, Justin had been Student of the Week. All of his classmates were invited to write individual cards listing the things they loved about Justin. They told him he was a cool guy and a great hockey player. Said one student, “You are nice to me and you are nice to our friends.”Said another, “You’re a great friend.”I don’t remember the day he first brought the cards home, so to have the opportunity to read them now, when I miss him so much, was a blessing. I recently found these cards in a tote box in our home. When my son Justin was named student of the week in elementary school, his classmates were invited to share what they loved about Justin. What a blessing to find these. TINA COMEAU Photo by Tina Comeau /.A few weeks later I tackled the closet in Justin’s room. It had become a catch-all for so much stuff over the past year, which I didn’t have the desire or energy to deal with.I got some tote boxes and decided to better organize stuff. It took me hours to sort through it all. There were triggers along the way. Reminders of Justin’s years of addiction. Which is a reminder of the sadness of his death.Article contentBut there was more good than bad inside that closet.Like the card I found that had been given to Justin one of the times he had left rehab to come back home. What an impression Justin had made on those around him.The front of the card said: “We’ve got your back.” Inside, these were some of the messages:“It was a pleasure meeting you. Don’t lose your positive attitude.”“Continue to explore and experience life with courage, determination, curiosity, excitement and humour. Make yourself proud, as we all are of you.”“Keep staying strong. We all know you can do it.”“Best of luck painting your blank canvas. You’ve got this.”“You are all of the strong, beautiful, courageous words I know. Shine your light and just be you.”I then found one of his rehab binders, and also a journal that he had filled out at home for the better part of a year.Reading his words, his plans, his goals and how he intended to mount his battle against addiction, in his own words and handwriting, filled me with such emotion.Article contentI was also so proud of him all over again.His wisdom and insight were incredible for his young age. He was doing everything right, or trying very hard to, even when the outcomes suggested differently.Most importantly, he never gave up.There were so many references to him wanting to one day become a counsellor at a rehab facility. He truly always wanted to help others.In his journal, there were daily exercises in which he was prompted to find the positives in his life. To share his great attributes. I loved that he recognized the same things in himself that I saw in him.Question: What am I great at that I don’t give myself enough credit for?Justin’s answer: “Being a great guy.”Question: If a close friend saw how I handled my day today, what would they say?Justin’s answer: “Keep up the good work.”And then came my favourite one of all that had been hidden inside that closet in the pages of that journal for a few years. It reinforced why I love Justin so much and why I miss him so much.And it reminded me of how much he loved me too.Question: How have I positively impacted someone’s life today?Justin’s answer: “I made mom laugh.”There’s now a new rule inside our house.Tote boxes are never meant to stay closed forever.Article content
TINA COMEAU: Forgotten treasures bring back memories of my son
