Submitted by: sarah fleek
Born: 1958
Died: 2015
My Tribute: My dad was my hero, may 4th this year we lost him to addiction i too am an addict however i was graced with recovery my dad will not get to see his sons get married nor will he get to see his grand children grow up he was such an amazing hard working man and because of herion, coke, and fentanyl i no longer get to hug my daddy or hear his voice ever again
Submitted by: Gretchen Addison, mother
Born: 1993
Died: 2014
My Tribute: What my Son Taught me About Heroin: Myth vs. Fact
Myth: Heroin is cheap.
Fact: Heroin is not cheap. It cost my son numerous X-Boxes, Play Stations, TVs, furniture, IMacs, expensive watches, I Phones, even his beloved Charger. It cost him his dignity, his self-esteem, his self-respect. It cost him a decent apartment and all of it’s furnishings, his German Shepherd, the love of his life, and their daughter. It cost him his life at age twenty one.
Myth: You can use it once in awhile and be fine.
Fact: There is no such thing as a recreational heroin user. It is not to be confused with pot or having a beer. Once Pandora’s box is opened, less than 1% of people are able to get it closed again.
Myth: My friend gets it for me.
Fact: Your heroin dealer is not your friend, he is a heroin dealer. If he were your friend, you would be alive to talk about it. If he were your friend, you wouldn’t have gotten started in the first place because friends don’t want their friends dead.
Myth: Heroin dealers look like thugs.
Fact: They can also look like a choir boy, be well-spoken, well mannered, very charming and come from a decent home just like you did.
Myth: Heroin is the ultimate high.
Fact: While the rush lasts minutes, withdrawal symptoms are always waiting for you. They include muscle and bone pain, diarrhea and vomiting, abdominal cramps, insomnia, restlessness, runny nose, cold flashes and goosebumps, sweating, involuntary kicking motions, racing pulse, high blood pressure, increased respiratory rate, and severe anxiety.
Myth: I can handle it.
Fact: Tyler Andrew Addison 9/25/1993 – 11/03/2014.
Submitted by: Jennifer Johnson
Born: 1986
Died: 2009
My Tribute: Colin, my beautiful son, struggled with heroin addiction for four years before overdosing in our home. He was two weeks out of Rehab. If I had had Narcan available, perhaps he might still be with us.
Submitted by: Melanie Gullett
Born: 1987
Died: 2014
My Tribute: Bryan is missed dearly by all who knew him. The disease of addiction that took his life is not being talked about. I pray that one day there will no longer be useless deaths like that of my son.
Submitted by: Mom
Born: 1992
Died: 2014
My Tribute: To my dearest, sweetest Jason. On November 19, 2014, you left us too soon at the beautiful age of 22. I wish I could have protected you from harm or somehow given my life for yours. Despite the pain that has burned a hole inside of me, not a day passes without my realizing how lucky I am, and always have been, to be your mom. I miss you terribly and console myself with knowing that one day I will see you on the other side. I love you more than all the grains of sand on all of the beaches in the world and more than all of the stars in every galaxy in every universe. Always your loving mom, Kathryn.
Submitted by: Susan D. Emanuele
Born: 1990
Died: 2015
My Tribute: I lost my son on Aug 24 (less than 2 weeks ago) to an overdose. He had been clean, and appeared to be working hard to stay that way. His father and I are shattered beyond belief and do not know how we are going to continue to move forward. He was the youngest of my four sons….I miss him terribly and just cannot believe this has happened. Rest in peace my son, I know you are no longer suffering, fighting demons, and are finally, truly happy. I love you.
Submission Date: August 28, 2015
Attributing Author: Denise Cullen
Source: Huffingtonpost.com
It’s a hard road, the one that we walk after our children die from a drug overdose. It’s a walk that numbs your feet from the miles of isolation and grief. So many Orange County moms and dads are on this road now, too many of them. I’m only one of thousands. The White House is now trying to grapple with the problem (In heroin fight, White House tries to break down walls between public health, police, August 16, 2015), but they will likely fall short. A strategy that doesn’t prioritize empowering people who use drugs to save their own lives and the lives of their peers by making the opiate overdose reversal medicine naloxone far more readily available to them is doomed to disappoint expectations. Ask a parent of a child who could have been saved by naloxone, they’ll tell you.
Click here to see video and read the entire article.
Submitted by: Mother
Born: 1991
Died: 2015
My Tribute: I lost my only child, Matthew, to a heroin overdose about six weeks ago. The nightmare of losing him has just begun for me. I know it will never end. He was such an intelligent and handsome boy. A 2013 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He was struggling with finding his place in the adult world and, for some reason, was so self conscious and confused about where he fit in. Unfortunately, he turned to drugs for relief. His first injection of heroin was also his last. It killed him.
Submitted by: Mother
Born: 1990
Died: 2015
My Tribute: My only son Iain died on March 22, 2015 of a heroin overdose. He struggled with substance use disorder his entire adult life. He was found in a public washroom. The day of his death would have marked his 14 month in recovery. He was loved by many people and its heartbreaking to live in a society that doesn’t promote harm reduction, provide ready access to treatment, criminalizes and creates stigma and shame for those afflicted with this mental health issue. My heart is full of compassion for myself, Iain’s sisters, father, all those who loved him, and all others whose lives are impacted by substance use disorders. Iain didn’t want this disease and tried so hard to stay in recovery. Substance use disorder has taken millions of lives and continues to impact so many people. With greater support people like Iain have a better chance of staying in recovery.
Submitted by: sister
Born: 1976
Died: 2015
My Tribute: I lost my sister 7/8/15 to drug overdose.she left behind 6 kids and my mom and brother and sister. She was not even 40. Most of all I am angry at her and yet I am lost and have so many questions. I miss her and love her. But I want to know why?
