This article contains descriptions of abuse endured or witnessed by children at sa国际传媒淚ndian hospitalssa国际传媒� that may be triggering. It mentions suicide and violence against children including sexual, physical, mental and emotional abuse.

Support for survivors and their families is available. Call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066, or 1-866-925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line.

The morningsa国际传媒檚 rain has just stopped and soft, warm light filters through a translucent patio covering onto Melven (厂虫虅飞别苍) Jonessa国际传媒� face. Lines run across his bronze-brown forehead and out from his deep-set eyes as memories furrow the 64-year-oldsa国际传媒檚 brow.

sa国际传媒淚 was six. I was vulnerable in every way.sa国际传媒�

Jonessa国际传媒� story of survival is different from many other Indigenous peoplessa国际传媒�. He only attended the residential school in Port Alberni for a couple of days before he was uprooted once again and forced into the Nanaimo Indian Hospital for two years. But, in almost every way that matters sa国际传媒� the torture, neglect and attempted cultural eradication sa国际传媒� Jonessa国际传媒� story is sickeningly similar.

The Nanaimo hospital was one of an estimated 31 sa国际传媒淚ndian hospitalssa国际传媒� run by the Canadian government from the 1930s to 1980s to segregate Indigenous people from non-Indigenous ones in underfunded facilities with poorly trained staff. They began as a means to sequester the disproportionate number of Indigenous people catching tuberculosis, but soon became a breeding ground for the disease and an experimental lab for vaccines and medical procedures to be tested.

At six years old, Jones had no idea why he had been taken to the hospital, but later in his life when he requested his old medical files, he discovered hesa国际传媒檇 only contracted tuberculosis after arriving there. Today, he struggles with lung problems as a result.

But it isnsa国际传媒檛 Jonessa国际传媒� damaged organ tissue that makes it hard for him to breathe when hesa国际传媒檚 alone or when he wakes shivering in his own sweat in the night. Itsa国际传媒檚 everything else that was done to him.

sa国际传媒淚 was tied down on a gurney and the doctor and nurse wheeled me into this room where they had this machine,sa国际传媒� Jones recalls. They then placed a bite stick in Jonessa国际传媒� mouth and told him to clamp down. sa国际传媒淎nd they had these two electrode things and they zapped me in my side here,sa国际传媒� Jones says, pointing at his temples. sa国际传媒淭hey did that for a year. I still remember that. That will never go away.sa国际传媒�

Once admitted to the hospital, sa国际传媒減atientssa国际传媒� were only allowed to leave when an sa国际传媒淚ndian superintendentsa国际传媒� or medical officer allowed them to. At night, Jones says, they were tied to their beds so they couldnsa国际传媒檛 run away. Even so, he says he tried to on numerous occasions.

Punishments came in the form of whippings and beatings. Jones says he thinks the electric shocks were used when children spoke their own languages.

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Other survivors report being tied to their beds for 24 hours a day for months or years at a time, being sexually assaulted, and being forced to eat their own vomit, according to an ongoing national class-action lawsuit.

Jones is calm as he tells his story. Hesa国际传媒檚 warm and personable and inviting. But, his throat catches as he decides to share the one piece of his experience hesa国际传媒檚 only told three people. He takes a deep breath.

sa国际传媒淚 got raped at six years old.sa国际传媒�

The statement hangs in the air with a quiet force. Jones takes another deep breath and widens his eyes, allowing the cool, fall breeze to dry them.

sa国际传媒淚t kind of makes me feel more relieved. It does hurt, it does sting, but it has to be put out there. It has to be heard.sa国际传媒�

The decades following the hospital have been hard. Returning home, Jones says his parents told him not to talk about his experience out of fear of the government, or sa国际传媒渢he outside worldsa国际传媒� as they called life off the reserve. He remembers his brother going into that world one night and returning beaten and bloodied. It wasnsa国际传媒檛 safe out there, Jones determined. It wasnsa国际传媒檛 safe to be Indigenous and it wasnsa国际传媒檛 safe to share his story.

sa国际传媒淚 buried it so deep, I didnsa国际传媒檛 even know what happened,sa国际传媒� Jones says, explaining the memories were literally non-existent for many years. The pain was always there, though. Twice during his childhood, Jones attempted suicide.

During the Sixties Scoop he was again taken from his parents, and later Jones ended up in a juvenile detention home.

Eventually, Jones realized his pain was taking him down the wrong path and he sought help. He finished high school, went to college, and started a security service in the movie industry.

It was only then, about 10 years ago, when his life had stabled out that his suppressed memories emerged. One night, Jones was showering before going to work and blacked out. A friend found him curled in the bottom of the tub in the fetal position.

sa国际传媒淭hat was the beginning,sa国际传媒� Jones says. sa国际传媒淓very single day I live to try to have a better day without thinking about this. But it keeps creeping into my head. It keeps driving me crazy.

sa国际传媒淚 wish there was a way they could just pluck it out of me. I wish I never remembered it.sa国际传媒�

On bad days, Jones says he sometimes imagines swimming out into the ocean from Dallas Road, as far as he can go until hesa国际传媒檚 so tired he knows he has no chance of making it back. But he says he doesnsa国际传媒檛 really mean it, not like he used to.

sa国际传媒淚 love life. I love the people that brought me to where I am and helped me out. I did the legwork, they just kind of showed me the right way.sa国际传媒�

Jones has three children and three grandchildren he loves dearly. His brother calls him daily and he has a whole host of friends and support workers he raves about.

There are good days and there are bad days, but Jones says all that matters is that each one is a new day. And, when he looks out at the children playing in the courtyard of his Indigenous housing complex, he says he feels some relief.

Trauma is passed down from generation to generation, but healing can be too.

Jones says he prays for every survivor and their families, that they, like him, receive the help and support that they need.

sa国际传媒淚 am for every Indigenous person here on this island, or anywhere else. Isa国际传媒檓 for them. And for whatever happened to them, Isa国际传媒檓 sorry.sa国际传媒�

The Nanaimo Indian Hospital ran from 1946 to 1967 across from what is now Vancouver Island University. During those two decades, it saw at least 14,000 patients. On Sept. 15, Snuneymuxw First Nation announced it will soon be searching the old grounds for unmarked graves.

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This is part one in a special series prepared by Black Press Media. You can find more of the series and other articles on truth and reconciliation .

Do you have a story tip? Email: jane.skrypnek@blackpress.ca.

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