From Crisis to Graduate

June 25, 2026

Victoria, B.C. - When Rae looks back on her high school years, she doesn’t rewrite the past. She describes that time as chaotic, painful, and overwhelming. In Grade 9, she was dealing with personal challenges and peer pressures. She was eventually removed from school. At 14, she faced one of her lowest points and couldn’t imagine a future for herself.

That changed when she met Constable Gord Magee, who was a member of the Mobile Youth Services Team (MYST), while receiving care in hospital. She had support from others too, but Gord became a steady presence in her life.

Rae remembers being afraid of police officers, but Gord wasn’t what she expected. He showed up with patience no matter what she shared. He listened without judgment and treated her like someone worth believing in. Gord is now a school police liaison officer at VicPD.

“He was an incredible adult figure in my life,” she says. “Supportive and empathetic, he was the kind of person you could actually talk to.”

What began as crisis support grew into a lasting connection. Gord stayed in touch through Grades 10, 11, and 12, checking in, encouraging her, and helping her navigate everything from school to the everyday challenges of growing up. He connected her with sobriety support, academic help, and the stability she needed to return to school.

She didn’t just return, she thrived.

The girl who once believed she would never return to high school is graduating this month. “I never pictured myself here,” Rae says. “I thought I would drop out, get a low-level job, and that would be it. I didn’t think I would go far.”

But she did.

Rae is now enrolled in a post-secondary school. She is exploring her future with confidence, “I’m not completely sure what I’ll do,” she says, “but I know I can try anything that feels right for me.”

Her message to others is simple, “No matter what you’ve been through, no matter how hard it was to get here, you can do it too.”

When asked what her life might have looked like without Gord’s support, she says, “I know I wouldn’t have talked about what I was going through. I wouldn’t be where I am today.” As she prepares to walk the stage, she carries not only her own pride, but also the pride of everyone who helped her get here.

Disclaimer: To protect the identity of the young person featured in this story, her name has been changed.