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m wrmm ri l- s tribune july 17 1985 a9 bernie has new lease on life once tried to end it all i ft3 by jim thomas ten years ago bernie dams then 18 wanted to die and he tried standing out behind midtown garage now the entrance to the whitchurch- stouffville public library he put a 22 calibre rifle to his neck and pulled the trigger the bullet fragments of which are still 3 lodged in his chest ruptured his spinal cord rendering him paralyzed from the 3 waist down i screwed up again he remembers sgj saying to himself as he lay on the ground ri at that moment he wanted to retrieve the gun and do it right but he couldnt move and the rifle was out of reach so he lay there all through the night until a lady ji out walking her dog the next morning found him and went for help he spent many months in several hos- pitals that was ten years ago today bernie dams now 28 operates a j cartage business under the name of jeta movers confined to a wheelchair he re- sides in an apartment designed for the dis- abled at 341 bloor street west toronto the senator david a croll building is the v former rochdale college now owned by the city and subsidized by the province whats bernies outlook on life following his brush with death im very happy he says i have a future and i can see my accomplishments in a lot of ways im only ten years old was that nearfateful night in stouf f ville ten years ago a cry for help he was asked no way says bernie id been crying for help for five years that night he was determined to end it all he remembers driving into toronto ear- v lier that day and buying the gun he re- turned home locked up the apartment lo cated over the bakery and went out be hind the garage it was raining he recalls he put the gun to his neck and pulled the trigger three times and three times it misfired a fourth time he pointed the rifle to the ground it discharged with a terrible noise he re members he then reloaded the gun a fifth time and shot himself in the throat right away i knew i was paralyzed he said accept for my eyes i had no movement he remembers hearing the town clock strike several times before he lapsed into unconsciousness the call for an ambulance was placed from aikens drug store he was admitted first to scarborough centenary hospital then st michaels physicians feared re moval of the bullet could end his life so they let it stay its broken up explains bernie the fragments are still floating around theres no problem following his release from st mikes bernie sp3nt 16 months at riverdale hos- pital on two occasions then was admit ted to lyndhurst here my upward climb started he says the world began to open up to me bernie established a group called goal get out and live he was the spokesman and he used his time to good advantage addressing the problems of nursing homes writing letters and sending telegrams on one occasion he even called the brampton residence of the then premier of ontario bill davis in 1980 he moved to david a croll apartments where he resides today bernie admits he never thought hed be able to work again however prior to leav ing lyndhurst he obtained a job at york university later he became editor of the newsletter published by the hospital for sick children iwasoncloudnine heremembers i- couldnt believe it hes still hoping for a fulltime position in public relations or advertising what about social work bernie doesnt feel suited for this role even though hes spoken to groups of young people on several occasions i feel com fortable talking to people about suicide he says he encourages teens to give him a call if depressed to the point of ending it all bernie has his own apartment computer that he operates with great skill he can also travel just about anywhere in his bat teryoperated wheelchair it has a top speed of seven miles an hour bernie still keeps in touch with members of his family his father wolfgang in wil- lowdale his sister regina a graduate rna from durham college oshawa and brothers chris in ajax and mark up north his mother passed away several years ago v s although confined to a wheelchair since an attempted suicide ten years ago bernie dams formerly of stouffville and now of toronto is happy with the turn his life has taken in a lot of ways im only ten years old he says its like a dream coming true bernie would like to hear from former friends in stouffville the address is bernie dams co sena tor david a croll apartments 341 blodr street west apart ment 1411 toronto jim thomas bernie feels reg- inas career has been helped through his experience wellgroomed and handsome ber nie talks about past problems and future hopes with honesty and confidence i was confused a rebel without a cause walking around in a circle trying to get out he says but today im happy with what im doing its a dream coming true vm i th cowotatiom or the town of whitchuhchstouffville mcowokatio itt public meeting concerning a proposed official plan amendment notice of meeting take notice that the council of the corporation of the town ot whit- churchstouffville will hold a public meeting on tuesday august 20th 1985 at 830 pm in the council chambers of the municipal building located at 19 civic avenue stouffville ontario to make available ade quate information to the public regarding and to consider a proposed official plan amendment to be passed pursuant to section 17 of the planning act explanatory note the proposed amendment will establish site plan control areas and related policies in accordance with section 40 of the planning act the proposed amendment provides that site plan control areas will be identified by zoning categories in the restricted area zoning bylaw and will include all commercial industrial institutional residential multiple density transitional and rural zones subject to the following exceptions a in a rural zone single family detached dwellings and accessory buildings and all agricultural and farm related buildings or structures that are utilized in farming operations and by their nature do not directly serve the public andor do not charge the public user fees will be exempt from the site plan control provisions b in all zones enlargements andor cumulative enlargements totalling less than 20 percent of the floor area of the existing building and new buildings or structures totalling less than 60 square metres approx imately 646 square feet may be exempt from site plan control provi sions subject to the approval of council in addition the proposed amendment provides that road widening may be obtained without compensation as a condition of site plan approval max imum road widening requirements wil be detailed in the proposed amend ment representation any person may attend the public meeting and make written or oral representation either in support of or in opposition to the proposed official plan amendment if you are unable to attend written submissions will be received up to the time of the meeting written submissions should include a request for further notification if so desired information additional information relating to the proposed amendment is available for inspection at this office during regular business hours 830 am to 430 pm if you have any questions please contact the planning department at this office dated at the town of whftchurchstouffville this 17th day of july 1985 patricia gmuir clerk town of whltchurchstoufhrllle 19 cmc avenue box 419 stouffville ontario l0h1l0 telephone 6401900 or 6952423 n0rwelj sealmark awardvyinnfng memorials by rock of ages anyone considering the purchase of a memorial fjnfv should see this new collection of norman rock- kuli well awardwinning desisns available only in j ot sealmsrfcs rock of ages memorials a i7c j serving the area for 145 years iily authorized dealer stouffville monument works ltd 113 main st stouffville 6403643 microwave for w ell its that time of year at last and as the old song goes summertime and the living is easy and you can make your life that much 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