A B.C. man who spent time grappling with drug addiction in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has gone on to great success in the culinary world with his gourmet mushroom farm.
Now, Brian Thomas is dedicated to healing others facing similar struggles.
Less than a year after launching Myca Farms and his top-of-the-line mushrooms, Thomas has big plans.
“My ultimate goal is to be the gourmet mushroom king of Canada. Something like that,” Thomas told Global’s This is BC.
It’s small steps first though for someone who’s already come such long way. Thomas beat his drug addiction after some very low moments as a young man.
“It was the West Hotel, alleyway, Hastings and Main. My addiction took me to some really dark places,” he said.
The long road to where he is now involved many attempts to kick drugs, he explained.
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“You get up in the morning and say I’m not going to use today, I’m not going to use. By 2 p.m. in the afternoon I’m using,” he said.
But during an eight month sentence in prison he came up with a plan, and decided it was time to be a dad to his young children.
He turned his life around, became a mental health and addictions counsellor, and received recognition for his work helping many other people.
“When things looked hopeless and I was trying to find my place in this world, Brian gave me a place to stay,” explained Creedin Halter, one of the many people Thomas helped.
“He showed me what meetings looked like, what it looked like to live clean.”
For Thomas, seeing other people follow in his footsteps is its own reward.
“It never stops blowing me away seeing what people can become, when they stop being a slave to addiction,” Thomas said.
Now his new business venture is creating a buzz with some local chefs, like Honey Salt executive chef Johann Caner.
“All of these five mushrooms I have, it’s a combination of flavours,” Caner said, showing off a recent delivery.
A few months ago, after meeting a potential customer in Vancouver, Thomas went back to that alley and the stoop where he used shoot up, placing some mushrooms as a token to show how far he’s come.
“It means keep going. Don’t stop. I can’t believe the difference in my life. It feels like I’ve lived six lives,” Thomas said.
“I just love what I’m doing. I’m on the right path.”
To contact Jay Durant with a story idea for This is BC, email him details and contact information at thisisbc@globalnews.ca
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