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.

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!

Submitted by: Melody
Born: 1991
Died: 2015
My Tribute: This is a poem I wrote for my son for his services. As I wrote, I felt as if he was telling me exactly what to write, with tears running down my face I obliged.

I tried to fight it, but it came too hard
I would knock it down, but not that far
I tried to leave it, but it had a hold
A hold so tight that my Heart couldn’t fight
Little by little I lost my soul
The look in my mom’s eyes could no longer hold
Each and every time it came with more power
Only to leave me feeling more like a coward
My heart would ache and my love began to fade
Another day wasted, and even further away
A new day would come and I would try again,
But it would always find me and make me bend
He would send his soldiers to help me work,
Always telling me what I’m worth
I wanted to believe them with all my heart
But it would come again and whisper, “you are not that smart, you cannot fight me, you cannot win”, so there I was holding 10 more sins
The pain was so hard, my love couldn’t shine, so he took me home…….for the final time
Do not show sadness for me, for I am where I needed to be
I’m now at a place that I can finally be free
It cannot hurt me and turn my mind, because I am home and finally allowed to shine
He loves me mom, you told me did
The joy we talked about it is finally back, I can be safe now and you can relax
Love my sons as you all loved me, for I am better now happier than I could ever be

Submitted by: Mom (Debbie)
Born: 1991
Died: 2015
My Tribute: Two months in treatment, far from home. He had some teeth pulled and was given T3’s for pain. Seven days later he died from heroin and fentynal. He was my baby. I’m so broken and lost.

Submitted by: Elise P
Born: 1980
Died: 2015
My Tribute: Tom was my boyfriend of 8+ years. He was35 years old, just bought his first house, a teacher, hockey coach. From your eyes he was sitting on top of the world. But from my perspective I saw a different story. Tom suffered severe depression and had battled with this all his life. He often self medicated himself in attempt to ease the pain. On August 3rd, he made the decision. To push the envelope once again after having a successful run of many months sober. Tom didn’t overdose from heroin, but his fatality was without a doubt a “heron related death”. While in his home and under the influence Tm passed out. He was in the kitchen and he bashed his head on the marble counter top. The slowed state of his body due to this drug and the significant head injury caused that to be his moment in this life.
My life is forever changed and I will never be same again. Heaven gained one heck of an angel this time around.
Rest in peace Tom.