WARNING: This story contains distressing details.

When James and Tony Charlie first arrived at Kuper Island Residential School in British Columbia, they were given identification numbers that would be stitched into their clothes and put on lists for chore duties. 

“Sometimes it wasn’t even our names, it was just the number,” Tony said.

The brothers, who were born just 14 months apart, started attending the school in 1964 when Tony was 13 and James was 12. They’re now counted among the many children abused by Catholic clergy at residential schools across Canada. 

“I have to live my life today with all those pains and all those memories,