The guardian angel of the Surrey strip is dying
Since the opioid crisis erupted in Surrey, a man known as Little Doug has protected drug users along Surrey's notorious 135A Street strip from death.
Doug Nickerson — a slender man with wild, shoulder length hair and a bushy red and grey beard — has administered naloxone to more than 130 overdose victims, essentially bringing them back from the dead.
Death is an opponent that he has defeated over and over again but this time, he's losing the battle.
Little Doug is dying.
Terminal cancer
In April, doctors told Nickerson he had pancreatic cancer and at best, he had another year to live.
He is choosing not to receive chemotherapy treatments because they would make him feel too sick.
"If it's going to be my last days, let's make them as pleasurable as possible," he explained.
"I'm not near as strong as I used to be and I'm down to 105 pounds from about 125 pounds. 20 pounds is a big number on a small body."
Feeling better
Nickerson says he has felt much better since doctors put a stent in his pancreas a few months ago.
Most of the time, he's able to manage his pain by watching his diet.
On good days, like he had last weekend, he's the same old Little Doug who bounces onto his bike and races down the strip to help an OD victim.
"I do what I can do," he said.
"There is no such thing as calling in sick. As long as I'm here, I consider myself on-call."
There are bad days, too, but even when he's too weak to pull himself up off the sidewalk, Nickerson does everything he can to keep death away from his street.
"I was down here during an overdose a few months ago and I couldn't get up to run but I could take my [naloxone] kit and throw it to the people who were running to the OD," he said.
"I always carry my kit on me. Always."
Biggest wish
Nickerson hasn't seen his parents, who are now in their 90s, in 30 years.
He called his mom earlier this week and told her his biggest wish is to travel to Nova Scotia to see them.
"I told her it's not just passing thoughts I'm having and I really want to come back and see you guys," he said.
"I thought I really needed to go back and see them before they died, but now the race [with me] is on."
His sense of humour is dark but his outlook on life is bright.
Nickerson says he's going to need both if he's going to beat death one more time.
"As long as you believe in miracles, there's hope," he said.
Generous friends
When Nickerson's friends on the strip found out about his wish, they started a crowd sourcing page to help pay for his trip.
The first donation came from Nickerson's friend, Surrey Area Network of Substance Users President Ron Moloughney.
"He means so much to the people in that community and it would mean the world to him if he got to see his folks," he said.
"Doug is just such a great guy and he's so selfless."
