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Personal Stories

Get advice and perspective from families who have also been impacted by substance use or addiction.

On July 9, 2021, we lost our oldest child, Rory, to an opioid overdose. He was 29 years old. Summarizing the last 20 years of Rory’s struggle with ADHD, mental health and substance use feels daunting. I remember the day he was born being overwhelmed by the need to keep him safe. It is heartbreaking when you realize that you aren’t always able to protect your children.
When a parent finally realizes that their child’s drug use isn’t “just a phase,” they begin the terrifying journey to finding some kind of remedy. It would be helpful if that journey weren’t marked by wrong information, stigmatizing opinions, predatory service providers and an uneducated medical community.
The detective said to me, “If we had a 911 Good Samaritan law or a Narcan law, your son might very well be alive.”