His Son Drowned in Foster Care. He’s Still Fighting for Answers. | Chris MartellHis Son Drowned in Foster Care. He’s Still Fighting for Answers. | Chris Martell
Hard Knox Talks: Sober Stories. Real Talk.
Chris Martell shares how he stayed sober after his young son died in foster care, facing silence from authorities, public criticism, homelessness and suicidal thoughts. He speaks about forgiveness, walks for justice, and healing through ceremony and sharing circles while rebuilding his life with his children.
1:02:10•6 Nov 2026
Staying Sober Through Unimaginable Grief: The Story of Chris Martell
Episode Overview
- Stopping alcohol use when his first child was born helped Chris avoid using drink to cope after Evander’s death.
- Forgiving the foster mother was a conscious choice that eased the burden of anger and allowed him to move forward.
- Repeated walks across Saskatchewan kept his son’s story visible and pushed for changes in foster care practices.
- Ceremony, sweat lodges, and nightly sharing circles in a teepee were crucial in reducing nightmares, anxiety, and deep shame.
- Focusing on training frontline workers through his company is Chris’s way of creating change from the ground up.
“I looked at them and said, "This is my boy. He came to you a happy, bright little boy, and this is how you returned him to me, burnt beyond recognition."”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol when grief feels unbearable? Hard Knox Talks shares Chris Martell’s story, a father whose 22‑month‑old son, Evander, died after scalding and drowning in a foster home in Saskatchewan. From that moment, Chris’s life became a long fight for answers, justice, and his own sanity. You’ll hear how Chris grew up around alcohol, violence, and intergenerational trauma, with both sides of his family marked by residential school abuse.
He started drinking at 13, dealing marijuana in the hood, and living a chaotic life. Yet when his first son was born, he stopped drinking, and he’s stayed sober for roughly 20 years, even through the worst pain a parent can know. The episode traces the agonising way Chris learned the truth about Evander’s death, including hearing a 911 call where the foster mother cries, “His skin’s coming off my hands.
What do I do?” and seeing his son’s body “burnt beyond recognition.” Chris describes years of silence from social services, brutal public backlash, and deep depression that led to hidden homelessness and a suicide attempt. Instead of drinking, he walked for justice—14 walks across Saskatchewan—raised awareness, and eventually helped spark a detailed report on his son’s case.
He talks about forgiving the foster mother (“I forgive you for what happened to my son”) and how that forgiveness lifted a huge weight from his shoulders. Ceremony, sweat lodges, and powerful sharing circles in a teepee become central to his recovery. Chris explains how nightly circles grew from ten people to hundreds, giving space for others to talk about trauma, foster care, and loss.
Now, he’s raising his children and building First Nations Community Solutions to support people facing mental health issues and homelessness. If you’ve ever wondered how someone can stay sober through grief, this raw and honest story might make you ask what healing could look like in your own life.
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