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A Penticton man who shaped the lives of many for the better was posthumously awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal on Tuesday.
The late Jerome Abraham — known by many as the face of Discovery House recovery centre for years — had the award formally presented to his father by local MP Richard Cannings.
Abraham passed last March at age 49 after several years of living with cancer.
"We have a saying here with our staff, and it's WWJD, which is 'What would Jerome do?'" Discovery House executive director Blaine Russel said.
During his time at the Penticton recovery society, Abraham played a pivotal role in expanding and strengthening support services in the community.
"Under his leadership, the organization significantly increased its capacity to provide safe housing, effective programming, and long-term recovery solutions. His unwavering commitment to community engagement fostered strong partnerships with local organizations, raising awareness and support for addiction recovery initiatives," the non-profit shared in a press release.
Abraham always advocated hard for addiction recovery supports to improve, working for the society with whom he credited with helping save his own life.
He fought to tear down the mentality of how society views people dealing with addictions.
During the medal presentation, Cannings said that in his 10 years in office, he has been able to meet so many unsung heroes, including Abraham.
"I always just equated Jerome with Discovery House. They were kind of one and the same, almost," he said.
"When Jerome first called me — whether it was when I had been elected or I was running — He phoned me up and said, 'There's this dinner at the church. We're raising money for Discovery House. You should come.'
"I went there. And not only was I impressed with Jerome and his persistence in getting me there, but being there, seeing friends around the tables, hearing very moving stories that are a huge part of those gatherings, really touches your heart and soul."
Cannings said when he heard there would be an opportunity to give out King Charles III Coronation Medals, Abraham was right at the top.
"I immediately put him on on my list, and so these coronation medals are meant to honour people who've kind of gone above and beyond in their communities for various reasons."
Abraham's father accepted the award.
"The man that he's always cherished the most in life is the one he [became] when he graduated from your [program]," his father said, addressing the team at Discovery House.
The non-profit said Abraham's "visionary leadership was instrumental in securing funding, developing sustainable programs, and enhancing the overall impact of Discovery House. His dedication and passion have left a lasting legacy of hope and transformation for those in need."
Penticton's Janet Parker was also recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her work with Discovery House and the community, all of which she does in honour of her late son.
