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]

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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]

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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/

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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/

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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]

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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]

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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]

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David had a great job, loved hunting, sports, and was very involved with his family. His cousin, Rosalie, describes him as a “boy’s boy.” In April 2021, Rosalie received a call from one of his three brothers telling her the tragic news—David had passed away due to an accidental overdose. She copes with her grief by remembering her cousin through poetry. Below are two of her poems dedicated to her cousin, David.

Everlasting Age

In the time of aging, you no longer are. I’m where you remain, near to my heart yet physically so far. Age is just a number; time is ever lasting. With you I’m one in this year of life. Nothing pains me more than to grow apart; for current time has me as I partake in your final year. I’ll try to understand your thoughts, your actions and your experiences; in each shedded tear. As I journey through this year as your everlasting age, I’ll take all I can to make better days. I dread the time we no longer will be in sync. As I will be moving forward, onward the step you could not make. I can only hope that I find you one day, as I remember you always.

Everlasting Days

I’m no longer your everlasting age. Still looking back on the best days. Not that recent days have been bad, it’s just I can never be fully glad. I keep you with me, so you can live on. You come to my mind when I hear certain songs. I can only dream of the days we are old and gray, for you’ll remain your everlasting age. I move on and forward the steps you could not make. They say you are only truly gone when you are forgotten, so it’s safe to say you will live on with me all my everlasting days.

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

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Michael was an incredibly hard worker—he followed in his dad’s footsteps and worked for the railroad. He never said, “no”, was so tender hearted, and silly. His sisters, Courtney and Hattie, cope with his passing from an overdose in July 2022 through humor, closeness, and strength. By telling their brother’s story, they strive to advocate for family and friends in mourning who may feel shame or that their loved one’s death didn’t matter because of the stigma of addiction. Courtney recommends reading, “Understanding Your Grief after a Drug-Overdose Death,” by Alan Wolfelt, PhD.

Jessica wanted to help others and thought about working professionally as a nurse. She loved children, would help out at summer camps, and had several babysitting positions. She was always the one people would call if they needed help. When she was around 17, she was in a car accident and was prescribed opioids for her pain. She went from using opioids to other drugs and, eventually, started using heroin, and died in 2017 at 36 from fentanyl poisoning.

Her older sister, Rosanne, tried everything in her power to help -- an intervention, rehabilitation, giving her a job in her salon, and a place to live. It’s been a five-year journey of grief therapy, workshops, and self-care to learn how to live a new normal without her sister. For her grief, Rosanne went to “Onsite”, a program that helps you gain tools to move forward https://onsiteworkshops.com/; learned “The Grief Recovery Method” through Hopeful Heart Solutions https://hopefulheartsolutions.com; and read books such as “Signs” by Laura Lynne Jackson and “Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief” by David Kessler.

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

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

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Hannah was loyal, fierce, and lived & loved with an unmatched ferocity and intensity. Her father, Cody, said she helped those who were marginalized, forgotten, left behind, misunderstood, hurting, or abused. She put others before herself, tried to take care of them, and made sure they were safe and okay. Hannah personally struggled for years with mental health and addiction. Depression and anxiety were her forever companions in a never-ending tug of war. On October 12, 2022, Cody lost his daughter to fentanyl poisoning. He copes with his loss by honoring his daughter’s memory, listening to podcasts, and researching grief with books such as “The Grieving Brain” by Mary-Francis O’Connor, “Resilient Grieving” by Lucy Hone, and “Grieving Mindfully” by Sameet M. Kumar.

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