Ryan (aka Miami) Frye

Ryan
Submitted by: Jeanne Frye (Mom)
Born: 1984
Died: 2015
My Tribute: Ryan was an incredible, happy, creative and sensitive spirit. He had a smile that was infectious and those beautiful blue eyes! He was only 30 years old when he passed.

His loss cuts deeply. I try to remember the happy times, the smile, the weekly phone calls…”Hey, Mom! What are you doing” or the famous…” You won’t believe what just happened!”

He made friends easily, loved music and lit up any room he entered. Anyone who met Ryan, remembered him. He was comfortable with people from any lifepath…he could have a conversation with anyone and make them laugh. As I look through his pictures, I notice very few that he was not smiling.

It just occurred to me that when he joined us in Tennessee for Joe’s wedding one month before his passing it was the one time he flew. He always took the bus to visit us. From Miami to Tennesse, a full day and half trip! I remember asking him why he would prefer taking the Greyhound bus to flying? It sounded like torture to me…..He simply answered that there were some very cool people to talk to on the bus and he would miss out on that experience if he flew……that was our Ryan.

What saddens me the most? The fact that he never truly realized just how loved, unique and special he really was. Both my boys are so special but really, I have never, ever met anyone quite like him! When he left us, he left a hole in heart.
He is buried on our farm in Tennessee, under the oak tree. Love you…baby!!

Justin Grona

Submitted by: Ashley
Born: 1984
Died: 2015
My Tribute: My cousin Justin was born on May 22nd, 1984. 11 days after me. We were very close as children and that bond remained into our adult years. We were always there for each other. We talked, we laughed, we cried, we loved unconditionally; that’s what family is supposed to be for. We were always been a big part of each other’s lives.
Justin started abusing substances at an early age and though he had periods of sobriety (some longer than others), he never really overcame his addictions. He came out of his last stint in rehab back in January 2015 and came to live with me for several weeks until he was able to find a job and move back home to help his mother.
On the evening of March 16th, he came to my house for a visit. He was obviously not sober and I expressed my concern for him. He told me he was fine and that he felt great. I believed him, mostly because I have seen him seemingly more intoxicated on many many other occasions. So I gave him dinner and a safe, warm place to sleep. He never woke up.
Tuesday, March 17th 2015 is a day that I will never forget. There was no indication, no way for me to know what I was going to wake up to. I decided to look in on him before I left for work and found it odd that he was in the exact same position I had last seen him in. I walked over to him and after calling out to him several times, I put my hand on the back of his neck and instantly knew that he was gone, he had been gone. I lost my best and lifelong friend that day and I will never be the same again.
The autopsy showed that Oxycontin and a miscalculated decision took my cousin out of this world. Accidental overdose is how his death was ruled.
Since then I have felt guilt, sadness, intense longing for his company, and just about every other emotion associated with grief. I miss my cousin, I miss my friend. They say it gets easier over time, but how does losing part of your heart, part of yourself ever get easier?

Tony Brasso

OOtsy-pootsy
Submitted by: Tonys mom
Born: 1986
Died: 2015
My Tribute: My blue eyed baby boy, my first baby, everyday hurts without you, sometimes it’s panic and I don’t know where to run, I love you so, I miss you so, I want to be with you so much but your brother and Babies need me here……this pain will never go away, nothing will ever be the same

Greg

Submitted by: Mom and Sister
Born: 1993
Died: 2015
My Tribute: October 10th is World Mental Health Day. Something we had no idea was a “day” until today. But we think that given everything that has happened this week, it is something that needs to be talked about.

Mental Illness is something that has affected our family directly, something that Greg had suffered with for the past few years and it was not an easy ride. He was a diagnosed schizophrenic and often suffered from anxiety as well. He had to deal with long wait lists until he was finally able to get into a stable program. There are very few strong programs in the city of Calgary to support individuals and families who have to deal with Mental Illness, Greg had to travel all the way up to Foothills Hospital just for a prescription refill! We will always push for better access to help for those suffering.

Greg did not understand how to fully cope with pain in his life so he turned to an easy answer, drugs. As many people with mental illness often do. We didnt even know the severity of his drug problem until it was too late, he suffered in silence. We are not going to hide what happened to Greg. We hope he can be that example that will help send someone down the right path.

We encourage you all to speak up about Mental Health. It is okay to have anxiety. It is okay to be depressed. Speak up. We need to get past this stigma around Mental Health. As a society we need to build up better access to our Mental Health programs. Lets not just give people medications to numb the pain, but actual support systems to help them work through the pain.

And if anyone needs to just talk, we are here to listen. No one should suffer alone and in silence.

Jeremiah aponte

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Submitted by: Mary Kay lind
Born: 1983
Died: 2015
My Tribute:

Garrett Conoly

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Submitted by: Heatherly Lewis
Born: 1981
Died: 2015
My Tribute: the love of my life for 15 years. he had the biggest heart we would of been married by now. we both struggled with addiction in our years together but it had a big hold on him. he was the strongest person I knew but one pill could make him weak he knew this lord knows how many times he got better then his rached friends would come around and just hand it to him like nothing. I will love him forever he was not only my love but my best friend. I miss him every day.

Matthew Gillen

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Submitted by: Lindsay Johnson (sister)
Born: 1989
Died: 2015
My Tribute: This picture is how I choose to remember my brother. We were goofing off on Christmas eve with my dad in 2010, trying on silly gifts. This was when he was a regular old pot smoker. Then he started using spice while in the military to elude detection. It is my belief the spice precipitated his diagnosis of bipolar.

After he was discharged from the navy, he was a whole different person. He stayed in GA for awhile, completed a rehab program for spice addiction (twice). We are six years apart, so unfortunately we weren’t very close at this time in our lives. But i did talk to him on the phone often. I know he like to snort percocets and use cocaine.

Then he moved home in June of this year. Did another treatment program at the VA, where my dad works. They were extremely close. On August 14th, my mom, myself, my husband and daughter, and my dad and brother all went out for dinner that night. My parents have been divorced now for 20 years, so this is something that doesn’t happen very often. The next day was my dads birthday.

The day my brother’s best friend (an EMT) had to break down the door to the brothers house and try to resuscitate him. The day they brought his lifeless, puke covered body to the ER in the hospital I WORK AT WHILE I WAS ON DUTY!
MY DAD’S BIRTHDAY.

Andrew William Gasper

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Submitted by: His Mother
Born: 1985
Died: 2015
My Tribute: It’s only been 3 weeks since Andrew died of a Heroin overdose and I will never be the same. His addiction took him at a time in his life when the future looked brighter than it had in a long time. He had a new job and just gotten a vehicle the day before. I knew that death for him was always near, but I did not expect it now. His friends at his funeral told me stories of how he was there for them and helped them in their darkest hours and how they loved him. But he could not help or love himself. He is my butterfly now and has escaped the pain of this horrible disease. I love you honey, I will see you in heaven.

Joshua

Submitted by: Reta
Born: 1984
Died: 2015
My Tribute: My son, Josh, was found Oct. 6th in a little creek with a can(s) of keyboard cleaner around. Cause of death is pending. I know he died on September 29th, the last time we talked. I was advised to not see him, so he was cremated. I’m having a hard time finding a way to get closure. He had a wonderful celebration of his life last Wednesday.
Josh has a beautiful son nearly 3 that he adored.
He was the love of my life and my only child. I keep going because I have my Little Josh.
It’s been too soon for me to do a long tribute, in a word, addiction took my wonderful son and great Dad away from us way too soon!

Richard Wellmer


Submitted by: Sherry Wellmer
Born: 1994
Died: 2013
My Tribute: To our dear, sweet Richard who left us at the tender age of 18. He touched so many hearts with his kindness.
Today marks two years since that tragic morning when I found your beautiful face at peace forever. We will always love and miss you.
Love, Mom