Former Langley City mayor Val van den Broek was volunteering at the Kimz Angels Wednesday free store when a man overdosed.
Kim Snow, founder of Kimz Angels, said van den Broek did CPR which likely saved the man’s life.
“She did an amazing job,” Snow said.
She said van den Broek stepped right up without hesitating.
“He was blue and not breathing,” explained van den Broek.
Another person administered naloxone while van den Broek did CPR until the fire department and ambulance arrived to take the man to hospital.
“Hopefully he gets the help he needs,” van den Broek said.
He was actually the second overdose Wednesday morning at the free store where food and clothing are given out to whomever needs them. The first young man was revived on scene.
Snow said she’s concerned about the increased toxicity of drugs tearing through communities.
Van den Broek said these problems are only going to get worse until society makes significant change in dealing with the overdose crisis and homelessness.
“It’s still this Band-aid approach,” she commented.
Before being mayor, van den Broek worked for the RCMP Community Policing office and was an auxiliary officer. That’s where she obtained first aid training that has been put to use in the past.
“This isn’t the first time this has happened,” she said.
She explained that about a year ago, she encountered a man overdosing in a downtown alley. While the woman with him administered naloxone, van den Broek did CPR which revived him. She commented that it can be a very surreal experience.
“Fifteen minutes later I was in a council meeting,” van den Broek said.
Wednesday’s incident hit her hard because her sister died Oct. 15, 2022, which was election day when she lost her seat as mayor.
“It was pretty emotional,” she said of this recent incident.
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• READ MORE: 75% spike in number of people who are homeless dying in 2021
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