Frankie was the third-born of triplets, arriving after his two sisters. His mother, Ellen, recalls his early years as charmed—filled with joyful vacations, engaging activities, and an infectious sense of humor. Frankie was the smallest kid with the biggest laugh, known for his wild jokes, imaginative stories, and a vocabulary all his own. As he entered middle school, challenges emerged. Being the smallest in his class and diagnosed with ADHD, Frankie began to struggle. Depression followed, leading him to self-medicate. Tragically, his life ended at age 26 in October 2022 due to an overdose of cocaine laced with fentanyl. Ellen now speaks to groups about Frankie's life, hoping to reach even one young person who might be considering drugs as a way to cope. Her mission is to transform heartbreak into hope, one story at a time.

Ellen shares some resources below:

· Helping Parent Heal – helpingparentsheal.org. There is also a Facebook page. They have several Zoom meetings and have a semiannual meeting with over 1000 parents.

· Fara Gibson, Psychic Medium (saved my life!) – faragibson.com. She also has a Facebook Page, Fara Gibson Psychic Medium. She does readings in person, over Zoom or by phone.

· The Black Poster Project – theblackposterproject.com This is a silent memorial of over 900 posters. Submitting your loved one's poster is at no charge.

· Alumni in Recovery – https://alumniinrecovery.org An advocacy group made up of young adults in extended recovery and parents who have lost a child to addiction/accidental overdose/fentanyl poisoning.

· World-renowned speaker David Keller – https://grief.com/ David is the father of grief and has written many books and holds many webinars.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Johnna was a fearless and capable child, but a learning disability diagnosis seemed to mark the beginning of her struggles. Her mother, Kelli, believes this led to self-esteem issues, which were worsened by incidents like being bullied in school and the loss of loved ones. These painful experiences contributed to a lifelong dependence on drugs—an addiction Johnna fiercely protected. As a nurse, Kelli used all of her resources to help. She consistently arranged for counselors and rehab centers and was always there for her daughter in a crisis. Despite her tireless efforts, Kelli's worst fear was realized in July 2024 when police arrived at her door with the news that Johnna had died at the age of 25. To cope with her grief, Kelli finds solace in listening to podcasts about loss, reading books like A Space in the Heart by Larry Carlat, and leaning on her strong relationships with family and friends.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

While working for the railroad, Matt had a bad accident that injured his spine. After spinal surgery, he was prescribed opioids that eventually led to his addiction. His daughter, Heather, talks about her loving relationship with her dad and how she is broken hearted to have lost him in October 2022. Heather tells others not to blame themselves for what happened and to recognize they did what they could.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Cameron was fun-loving, intelligent, compassionate, athletic, and talented who made his mom, Denise, very proud. After taking a counterfeit pill, he overdosed and lost his life when he was 23, even though his friends administered Narcan. Denise is on a mission to tell others that Narcan alone is not enough—911 must also be called. She reached out to Scott Silverman, a crisis coach, family navigator, and CEO of Confidential Recovery, an outpatient addiction program in San Diego, California. He is the author of the books "The Opioid Epidemic" and "Tell Me NO. I Dare You!" Together, Denise and Scott want to sound the alarm that the widespread distribution of Narcan is giving people a false sense of security and that 911 must also be called.

Resources:

Denise's message: https://www.instagram.com/narcanplus911/

Remembering Cameron: https://incelebrationofcameron.com/

Scott H. Silverman's information: https://www.yourcrisiscoach.com/

DEA information on fake pills: https://www.dea.gov/onepill

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Sheree and Vinnie were not only sister and brother, but also best friends. They were three years apart and went through everything in life together. Vinnie had a beautiful spirit and was an amazing person. Sheree's brother-in-law, Jorge, was in the family for 15 years and was more like a little brother. He had the purest heart of anyone she had ever met. Sadly, both passed away from an accidental overdose. Vinnie was 33 and died in May 2017. Three years later, Jorge, died when he was 35. Sheree remembers both as more than their addiction and prays for both every morning with the following prayer:

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord,

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace.

Amen

Remembering Vinnie: https://www.forevermissed.com/vincent-terrazzino/about

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Joel excelled at writing. He wrote his first book when he was in the second grade and later won an award for an essay about his grandfather. He also loved to write song lyrics and developed an ability to rap when he was in high school. With his lyrics and music, he developed a following for his band, The Even Keel. Joel struggled with drugs for many years and passed away from an accidental overdose in November 2017 when he was 36. Pattie entered a time of deep depression after she lost her son and knew it was not the same as losing a child to an accident or illness. She offers grief counseling through her website for those who have experienced a loss due to addiction.

Website: https://theresilientjourney.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresilientjourney

Twitter: @TheResilientJo1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FamilyGrief

Partnership to End Addiction: https://drugfree.org/treatment-and-recovery/

Joel's music: https://www.reverbnation.com/theevenkeel/songs

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

If you wanted to find Blake, you only had to go to the fire station down the street from his house. At a very young age, he already knew that he wanted to be a fire fighter. He was an excellent violin player and enjoyed karate. He was introduced to drugs from an acquaintance of his girlfriend at a young age. He sought help and was sober for a long period of time until troubles came his way while he was serving in Philadelphia as a Fire Service Paramedic. His mom, Rochelle "got the call" about her son's passing from fentanyl poisoning in June 2021 when he was 31. Rochelle copes by continuing her ballet dancing in local productions and marrying a man who is her rock. She says to let yourself grieve and don't hold back, and not to be embarrassed if you need medications.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Charles (also known as Buddy) was an old soul. At a very young age, he would sit and talk to his aunt like he was the same age, and he treasured his family. He loved to travel, had lots clothes, and collected all types of sneakers. He was prescribed a pain medication after a serious car accident that started him on the road to his addiction. He passed away in April 2022 when he was 34. His mother, Tawanda, copes by wearing her son's shirt every day, talking about him with others, and listening to podcasts about grief.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Becca was a wild child who grew into a confident, young adult and was able to talk to anybody. Her passions included animals, theater and music. She was also a talented artist who fell in love with tattoos and thought of the human body as a canvas. After a tragic event in her early teens, she self-medicated with marijuana and then other drugs. In January 2021, she passed away at 22 from fentanyl poisoning. Her mother, Sarah, wants to break the stigma about addiction and speaks to school groups about her daughter's life. She found that listening to podcasts has helped her to cope with her grief. These include "A Good Cry" with Michael Cruz Kayne at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-good-cry/id1586175225; and "All There Is" with Anderson Cooper at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-there-is-with-anderson-cooper/id1643163707.

Sarah was moved by a quote from Andrew Garfield (an actor whose mother died in 2019 from cancer) who hopes he never gets over the grief of losing his mother. In an interview in People magazine, he said, "So I hope this grief stays with me because it's all the unexpressed love that I didn't get to tell her…We all told her every day, she was the best of us."

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Stephen lit up any room he walked into and was the guy who made others laugh. He was a musician who played guitar and piano, a welder who used his talents to make artwork, and a world traveler. His addiction to pain medication began soon after having a wisdom tooth extracted while he was in the navy. His addiction progressed over ten years until he died from fentanyl poisoning in March 2022 at the age of 32. His mother, Andree, honors his memory by displaying a Christmas tree in her front yard for others who are grieving to place a special ornament of their loved ones. This was featured on several news outlets as follows:

2023

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/fullertons-community-christmas-tree-honors-loved-ones-lost-to-opioids/3293487/

2022

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/fullerton-mother-creates-fentanyl-awareness-christmas-tree/3058803/

https://abc7.com/drug-overdose-fentanyl-christmas-trees-ornaments/12591577/

https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/human-interest/2022/12/24/fullerton-mother-honors-son-with-fentanyl-christmas-tree

Soon after her son passed away, Andree woke up one morning with a tune in her head that she had never heard before. She discovered the lyrics were from a song called Full Circle by the group Half Moon Run. She feels that Stephen was trying to explain in this sign from heaven about his life with addiction.

Full Circle lyrics

https://youtu.be/azV0Y7v6wsg?feature=shared

Cap off kneeling at the back of the church, Feeling water on your brow, if it's healing it hurts At first a sharpish pain that returns as a thought That the needle in your skin will bring you closer to god

And I watch as your head turns full circle

Our hope was with a coffee and a medical text It's too easy knowin' nothing blowing off the rest And the riddles in the pages leave at too much to guess And the worry cracks a fracture from your hip to your chest

As I watch as your head turns full circle

We got lost in the travels in the spiritual book Missed the beaches from nirvana and the way that they look And the crooks they're on the island they're killin' to keep runnin' They're running severance on the plastic and it seems to be working

Is that the best that I can do? As I watch as your head turns full circle

You appear even tempered though your looks will deceive And the sparks are always flying cause you drink for relief With the heart of a child and the wit of a fool It's a wonder why I don't try to build a wall around you

When I watch as your head turns full circle And I watch as your head turns full circle Yeah I watch as your head turns full circle

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Samantha was stubborn, strong-willed, and struggled with authority. However, she also loved fiercely, was passionate in what she believed in, and was always there when you needed a friend. Her sister, Brittany, would call her about everything and knew she could always count on her. When Samantha broke up with her boyfriend of eight years, she turned to an old friend for companionship who was dealing drugs. He turned her on to cocaine to help with her depression. One night, the line she took was pure fentanyl and she overdosed in August 2023. Brittany is coping with the death of her sister by reading grief books, looking for signs from her sister, and speaking up to break the stigma about fentanyl poisoning.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida