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Definitely Not the Opera

Scott Oake opens up about his son's addiction

When veteran sportcaster Scott Oake discovered his son Bruce was addicted to OxyContin and other serious drugs, he took him to an expensive rehab facility in Toronto. But that was only the first intervention of many.
CBC News ·
The late Bruce Oake (right) with his brother, Darcy (Darcy Oake/Facebook)
Definitely Not the Opera11:09CBC Sports' Scott Oake on trying to save his son from addiction

As veteran CBC sportscaster Scott Oake reported from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a family drama was unfolding back in Canada. Scott's son, Bruce, had gone back to drugs. 

When Scott returned to his hometown of Winnipeg and heard the news, he called Bruce and said enough was enough. "We're done giving you money," Scott said. "You're not getting another penny from us."

Bruce Oake with his dad, Scott
But the whole Oake family - Scott, his wife, Anne, and their other son, Darcy - still cared about Bruce and were willing to try just about anything possible to help him out. That's when they checked him into a long-term sober living facility in Calgary called Simon House.

But that didn't turn out to be the solution to Bruce's addiction problems, either. Scott's powerful interview with Sook-Yin is a cautionary tale for anyone who takes drugs and the families who intervene to try and help them.  

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