WINNIPEG — Police said Cooper Nemeth’s death was drug related, something every parent tries desperately to keep their kids away from.
“We love you Cooper,” said a tearful Brent Nemeth, Cooper’s dad last week. “Please come home and we can figure everything out.”
READ MORE: Timeline of Winnipeg teen Cooper Nemeth’s disappearance
A week after Cooper went missing, their worst fear came true.
Cooper had been murdered and his body was left in a resident’s backyard on Bayne Crescent.
Karen Wiebe lived that nightmare 13 years ago. Her oldest son TJ Wiebe was murdered in 2003. He was involved in the drug trade, which ultimately took his life.
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“We found out just before TJ died that he was dealing and we were devastated,” said Wiebe Monday. “As parents we did everything we could to avoid that for our kids, we thought we did it right, we realized there is no right way.”
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While 17-year-old Cooper played hockey and had lots of friends, police said he was involved in drugs and on social media Cooper makes numerous references to using and selling drugs.
“The thing about kids that are involved with drugs they don’t want their parents to know it and they’re very good at hiding it,” said Wiebe who admits she never suspected her son was involved in drugs. “Your kids are exposed to it at school, on teams they play on. My kids pointed out the school drug dealer who was singing in the choir, that shocked me.”
Wiebe said while she feels the agony Cooper’s family must be going through, she said speaking to kids about drugs is what helped her through it.
“If this can happen to us, this can happen to anybody,” said Wiebe. “I just hope that all of these people that are there now are not going to disappear in six months, a year, five years, 10 years. This family is going to need a lot of love and support.”
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She knows there’s nothing she can say to ease their pain but plans to reach out to Cooper’s parents and said, “I’m sorry, I’m here when you’re ready, I’ve got broad shoulders.”
This support comes from someone who also experienced the unimaginable.