52 Obituaries in 2016 Immortalize the Lives Stolen by Heroin
They were artists, musicians, athletes and chefs, skateboarders and football fans. They were race car drivers, construction workers, college students, an equestrienne, a medic, the son of a Congressman. Two brothers died on the same day. A married couple in their 50s died just a few days apart. A young man in Rockland, Massachusetts followed his two older brothers when he died from a heroin overdose. These were some of the lives we lost in 2016 to drug overdoses, immortalized in loving obituaries written by their families.
They hailed from New England, Florida, Ohio, Alabama, Arizona, North Carolina, Wisconsin and other states. The overwhelming majority were between 20 and 30, although one was as young as 17. So many were mothers and fathers to children who will now grow up without that light in their lives. In some cases, these battles with drugs had gone on for decades and in others, just months when they were lost.
Some were in recovery just before this overdose and some were still deeply enmeshed in their struggles. Many had huge hearts, infectious laughs and were friends to every person or animal they met. Every single one possessed beauty and grace at some level, in some fashion that was uniquely personal to them.
The families writing these obituaries recognize that they are part of an overwhelming flood of opioid addiction and overdoses but that doesn’t make the pain any less. Some families state a new dedication to educating others on the dangers of drug abuse. Every family will hold the memory of this beloved person in their hearts for the rest of their lives. Most of them express the hope that the reader of that obituary will reach out to someone who needs help with addiction to stop them from suffering the same fate. One family expressed this wish like this:
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you discuss the devastating effects of heroin use and addiction with the children in your life.
Many very human and touching stories described the efforts these individuals made to reclaim their sober lives:
He came to us in August and asked for help—he was addicted to heroin. He wanted to get clean and get his life back. He successfully completed a 30 day inpatient program and was living at home for a week. Despite his strong desire to live a sober life, he passed away from a heroin overdose at home. His last evening was spent talking with his parents on their front porch, looking forward to a new future, returning to work, talking about his love for his family.
This family eloquently described their beloved son’s fight with addiction:
Heroin promised Shawn the world—"I will make you feel accepted and loved and normal—like everyone else. I can make you feel nothing and make you believe that everything will be ok.” What it didn't tell him is how it would devastate his family and tear them apart, how it would take jobs and places to live, how it would steal his baby girl right out of his arms, how it would take his smile, his laughter, his love for life and it would take and take and take until it took his life.
These are the people we have lost and can never get back. We preserve their memories by helping those who need help get back on the road to sobriety. At Narconon Ojai, we have the privilege of providing this service every single day. If we can help someone you care about, call us.
REFERENCE LINKS
https://www.statnews.com/feature/opioid-epidemic/obituaries/
