To my friends Cameron and Jennifer, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to keep you here with me. I think about you both every damn day of my life. I am trying these days to be an advocate for harm reduction and treatment, and am using my talents as a writer to do just that. I know I can't help you, but maybe I can help another Cameron or another Jennifer out there, who needs it. I know you would have both been beacons of light in this world, if you had continued on your paths. Jennifer, I lost you first. The whole town blamed us, your friends. You should have seen the way they looked at us at your funeral... And Cameron, you were taken a year after Jennifer, while I was away at college. You kept the contact info for all of your friends in Arkansas in your Daytimer, which was also where you kept your dope. The cops took it when they came and got you, and kept it as evidence for months. I finally found out you died three months later. So, sorry I wasn't at your funeral, bro. I do not know if I'm with you today, but I know for sure you are with me. I will try to live my life in a way that would make you proud. 19 years after your deaths, I'm still shaking, fists clenched. I do not know when this grief will subside and make way for solace, but until that time comes, I will remember you the way you were at your best - young, beautiful, and beloved.

God Bless and Take Care Of My Little Brother Gary Gibson, who we lost on the 13th of October 2015. Pray You Are At Peace Now!!!! A Gentle/Good Soul with a Heart Of Gold!!! Will Miss You Always xoxo

To my beautiful son Shane Tyler Gwynne: In 24 days you will be gone 2 years. Every single day is a tearful battle for me. There are still so many things I can't understand about addiction and why. I hope you know how very much you were and are loved and missed. As my first born child you had an extra special place in my heart that can never be filled. Love Mom xoxo

?Daddy, I miss you so much, I think about all of the little things that I miss so much everyday, I hate that I can't pick up the phone and host hear your voice, I know you're with me in spirit, but what I would do to have u back, I know in my heart that you made it to heaven with your family and friends that have passed away. I just wanted to say that you're always gonna be my number one hero and my father, my best friend and I will never ever forget all the good times we had since I was a baby, you've always been by my side no matter what... You'll be forever missed and never ever forgotten, R.I.H. FLY HIGH. LOVE YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN... YOUR BABY GIRL CHELS

This tribute is dedicated to Allen Lee Little and Michael Christopher Finan. They meant the world to me and life will never be the same. I am sober today fighting for the battle they lost. Recovery is possible just reach out. Lets take a moment of silence for all the lives lost to addiction.

Posted 28/08/2018

Rich we miss you so much,. Amber and RJ also miss you . Rest in peace my son Love you, hugs and kisses from all

Millersville, Md.

In memory of Jeffrey Stork, Josh Tarkington and Josh Galvez.

To: Heath, Andy and Lisa Three great loves, three great lives. Never ever forgotten.

I wish I could have done something to save you. I wish I had been able to fly you home for Christmas. I wish that when you reached out to your previous treatment center for help, they would have answered you sooner. I wish someone could have stopped you. I wish your halfway house would have put you on lockdown when you admitted to using instead of sending you home. I wish you hadn't been across the country. I wish you hadn't died alone. I wish I could have kept you safe. I feel like I did everything I could, but I also feel like it could never have been enough. I miss you every day, my beautiful daughter, forever young, brilliant, hilarious and full of hope. I am furious you died before me and empty without you.

Wilmington, DE, USA

In memory of my beautiful and loving son, John, who suffered an accidental heroin overdose on April 4, 2012. He lived on life support in the hospital for one month and passed away on May 4, 2012. I love and miss him more than words could ever express. John Patrick DiDonna 3/17/87 - 5/4/12

JOHN GORTON L. ​Hey Johnny, So I'm really missing you today; almost in tears again. I can't believe in a few months, it will be two years since you've been gone. The pain is still fresh. I feel like I talked to you just last week. I still sometimes wonder why I haven't heard from you, or I expect a text or call from you. For a brief moment, I'll have a memory I want to tell you about, and then I remember I can't. Or can I? I hope you're listening/reading. God, I love you Johnny. I have ALWAYS loved you so much, unconditionally, and I always will. There really are no words or a way to describe the love I had for you (and still do). I even wrote a couple of letters to you BEFORE you died...on days that I was missing you; on the days I prayed you could remain sober for a year so we could get back together (that was always the deal). Sometimes, I wish I would have shown you those letters, but I know they wouldn't have helped anything. They might have just made you sad. All I can hope for is an afterlife, where I'll see you again. Even if I only see you for a moment, all I want to tell you is how much I love you. I have such vivid dreams about you, and that's always the most important thing to me...to make you understand how LOVED you are. Not just by me, but by your family. Anyway, I'm sorry for writing another sad message. I just want to get my point across. I wonder how Heaven is? I wish you could answer me. I just want you to be happy. Your happiness always meant as much to me as my own. I love you Johnny. I better see you again; if not in an afterlife, then keep visiting me in my dreams. You're forever a part of me. Love, Lexi Tampa, FL

In loving memory of my daughter Tamara Thatcher. May 1989 -November 2014. I was d of blessed to have you for 25 amazing years.

In memory of my brother Reuben Bellomy

Posted 04/09/2018

I will wear a badge to support my friend Angie whose son lost his battle with addiction in 2015.  Also in support of several other friends who have lost sons and daughters in the not so distant past.  Addiction is so hard on the addicted as well as the families that stand by them.  My heart aches for these parents who lost their children--so I will wear the badge to support them.

Melinda Belcher .....You are missed more than you could have even imagined.......

Roseville Michigan USA

Michael, we love you "no matter what"!!! Always have and always will. We miss you more than words.

For my brother-in-law, Brandon. Died December 28, 2012. Our hearts are broken. So many questions left unanswered. Two children left behind at 28 years old. I've never seen our family in so much pain. Your death was unexpected, even though your drug use was controlling your life. I guess it never really seems real until someone you love dies. I always hoped you would pull out of it, or get sober in jail. I can't believe you're gone. We never made amends. I never told you I forgive you even if you aren't sorry. Or that I love you. Or how much you meant to your brother. Now it's too late. I hope you will rest in peace, and that time will make this easier to bare. <3

Little sister Rowan Marie Soutar..taken to soon on 2.06.16.  There are so many things we still had to do together sis..I still can't believe you are gone..you bravely battled the addictions that stole you from us for 12 years..It was so difficult watching your demise..I felt so powerless to help you..part of me dies with you too..I will never be the same with out you..I love you so much..And I will treasure the 34 years we had together forever darlin..For eternity sis..love u buckets ...Shon xxxxx

Our little brother Justin Lee Smith. Gone but never forgotten. 11 May 1990 - 15 May 2013

Jay,
I had no idea that when I have you a hug and said goodbye that February afternoon, that it would be the last hug or time I saw you. I never imagined that a couple of weeks later I would get a call from Mom telling me you had passed. I took it for granted you would always be there.
Now its been a few months since you left. As I sit here and write this...I realize I still have so much to say to you. I can't believe you are really gone.
I hope you are happy now. It broke my heart watching you fight the demon disease. I saw the pain in your eyes...heard it in your voice. Now you are free, and there is no more suffering. Telling myself that is the only way I can go on. A part of me died when I heard the words coming out of Moms mouth. Knowing my only sibling, the one who was always supposed to be there is gone. Its still not real to me.
But I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and always will no matter what. I hope you are at peace.
Jenn oxox

Jason Christopher
04/21/1983 - 03/08/2017

Arlington, MA USA

I watched you struggle with sadness for 17 yrs. I prayed everyday you would see just how special you were and you could see what the rest of us saw in you. A heart bigger than yourself. A smile that lit up a room with those dimples and your funny laugh. You had so much to give and to receive. July 3rd 2018 my life ended when you left us. Our hearts were broken when your golden heart stopped beating. Our lives are shattered. We miss you so much, Jessie and I. We were supposed to be the Three Musketeers after Dad passed. I would give anything to tell you how much I love you..just one more time. Love from your Mommy

Posted 14/08/2018

My sister's only son and my only nephew died from a methadone overdose on 8-10-2009. He was 30 years old. A doctor who has had his license since revoked who was responsible for many deaths prescribed my nephew 600 methadone tablets and 90 oxycontin for a one month period. Our Brandon was dead two days later from respiratory failure. He battled for 10 years with his addiction and battled with depression. We all miss him something terrible. He had a heart of gold and would do anything to help others. He loved to fish and loved monster trucks and four wheeling and mudding. His was a very talented landscape designer and had extensive knowledge in horticulture. His smile could light up a room. I miss hearing his laugh and seeing that twinkle in his eye. He was a very handsome young man and our family will never be the same   ~ Brandon Webster Bunkley ~  10-2-1978 ~ 8-10-2009

Destiny Marie C. 1978 to 2014 Destiny died with her husband Joe from a fentanyl overdose within hours of their 12th wedding anniversary. Significantly missed by mom and their two children. The children called me (grandmother/mom) and said they could not wake up mommy and daddy. Remember drugs kill and leave behind tremendous sadness and PTSD.

Posted 13/07/2018

In memory of my best friend Jessica Mcquiston who lost her life to the horrible disease on feb 16th 2016 New Castle Pa

My sweet Ed, Almost five months have gone by and there is not a second of the day where I do not think of you and your beautiful heart. I miss you so much, sweetheart, I love you and I will until the day we meet again.

Kyle- it hasn't even been a month since you've been gone, and what happened is finally starting to unravel. Everyone is hurting, and so confused. You were doing so well getting clean. You wanted to start a life with the new amazing woman and her child you met, and you were so close. Nothing will ever be the same without you.

Cait’s Story

Cait was born into a large Catholic family. She had just one older brother but many aunts’ uncles and cousins. We had family dinners, attended church, CCD classes and girl scouts. She played softball and field hockey, not being into those sports she did Cheerleading from 2nd grade until senior year of High school. She grew up in a normal loving family. Cait was my only daughter, my best friend. I miss our Mother Daughter times immensely. Cait loved small children, animals and her family. She was always the friend people went to for advice and support. And she always gave it whole heartedly.
My Cait began to experience crippling anxiety in High school. She said she was never comfortable in her own skin. If this was the cause of her addiction I am not sure. It started at senior week 2009, the experimentation with drugs. Then after having some serious relationship problems she progressed to Heroin being co codependent with her current boyfriend at the time. She was lost to her addiction and family for close to two years. Finally I was able to convince and or drag her to rehab. She completed a month there. The day after she was home she over dosed. She was taken by ambulance to York Hospital where she was largely ignored because she had regained consciousness and was just a drug addict to them. This I remember clearly, having never experienced this type of ignorance.
In about a week to 10 days she was back to the same rehab, Retreat of Lancaster. After the second month of clear headedness she wanted to be clean. The Vivitrol shot helped her a lot with the cravings she had for the drug Heroin. Later, Caitlin relapsed again and went back to rehab willingly of her choice. I fear there were other relapses, small slips that I was unaware of. Finally December of 2014 she decided to be clean from everything while still being on the vivitrol shot and attending NA. She was actively working toward recovery. She was doing great. I had my daughter back. Her family had her back.
Caitlin wanted to stop the Vivitrol shot. In NA that is known as substituting one drug for another. She was clean of all drugs for almost 5 months. She relapsed on a Thursday. I know this because she wrote in a notebook that “she relapsed to the thing she cannot seem to stay away from”. That following Sunday April 26, 2015 she passed of an accidental Heroin OD on her bed in her home, doing homework. She had five classes left to graduate York College with a BA in Psychology. She wanted to work in a rehab and help other addicts. She never got the chance. She didn’t want to be an addict and never expected that would happen the first time she tried Herion. Please don’t try Heroin the first time. Addiction can happen to anyone.

Shrewsbury

A dedication to one of my best friends Jamie Davies who we lost five years ago to Heroin overdose..not a day goes by that I don't think of you..I miss you so much..Your daughter Nicole looks so like you..Tiffany your sister is doing an amazing job raising her. .I miss our laughs..We could just look at each other and we would know what each other was thinking..you don't get that with many people..since your passing ..I have lost mccaff to alcohol. .and then my baby sis Rowan nine weeks ago to heroin ..I hope you are all at peace now.. till we meet again .luv u Shonz xxxx

Russell, We all miss you terribly.  You have left a hole in our hearts. Your mother aches for you as does your sister. I sit back and watch the quake of devistation left in your untimely exit. Watch over your mom and sister and touch their hearts when you can...whisper that your still with them in their dreams and forever their hearts...I love you

Tyler hillman
April16 1997- July 26 2016.

Calgary

Honoring Jake!!!! RIP 2/19/2018

United States

Isaac, It has been two years since you left this earth (forever 21).  We just celebrated you on your birthday last week.  It is hard to believe that my baby would now be 23.  Then the anniversary of your death quickly followed four days later.  We all love you so much and miss you immensely.  You are forever with us.  I love you, Mom

Today you are no longer. You f**king left and now we all get to deal with it. You f**king bitch!!! I am so confused about what to do and how to feel. You were my very first sister, my very first friend in this world, and now you are f**king cold and dead in some weird dark room somewhere. Everything about me wants to hate everything about you. What's f**king waste you became. A funny girl with old dreams, a generous heart and two baby girls. Two girls who get to miss a corpse forever. So much missed wonder, missed kindness and missed warmth. All that was good turned bad.

To: Samantha Vincent My it's been sooo long. Really miss you and know, you're still with me.

My beautiful son...Brandon. You struggled from the age of 11 with a severe eating disorder..3 yrs in 3 different hospitals..we prayed that a miracle would happen and you would beat that demon. They had to drug you for months to keep you from ripping a feeding tube sewn into your intestines. I remember how scared we all were that you would rip that tube out too. Such a talented artistic smart sensitive young man, you were so sick. Then you jumped from that addiction to prescription drug abuse. We never stopped trying to encourage. I remember the day you cried in my arms saying "Mom I wish I knew what it was like to wake up in the morning with a smile on my face." I know the guilt you felt inside. You were forever saying "I'm sorry." All you wanted was to "feel" normal, to have a regular life like everyone else. You wanted that and we wanted your happiness more than anything in this world! I would have died for you my son. I would have traded places with you in a heartbeat if only to give you the happiness you longed for! We thought God was going to take you once before with the first illness you had but you were strong and survived. Then we lost you in the end to an accidental prescription drug overdose. When you were a little boy you used to say to me: "Mom I love you to infinity!" Ditto my son, you are safe now in god's land. I will see you again Brandon. Your sister says..."I bet he's playin baseball with God up there mom.!"

My son AJ died of the disease of addiction the day before overdose awareness day. On Aug 30, 2012 our hearts were shattered when I found my sons lifeless body on the floor of his bedroom. He was an honor student and struggled from 16 to 21. He was into sports and always helped other people. We started a nonprofit organization to end the stigma and help others fight this disease. We love him and he is missed. Www.theajbutzfoundation.org. Bensalem, PA

I lost my son, Michael to addiction. He was 33 years old. He tried many times to get into recovery, but there are not enough rehabs. He had so many demons. I pray he is at peace. This country needs to think outside the box and find ways to stop all these overdoses! What we are doing now is basically nothing! Too many families are suffering from having to bury their loved ones. S. Yarmouth, Mass., USA

Cory had this contagious laugh and a way to make you smile even when you didn't want to. He was my husband my best friend my soul mate for sure ! We have 2 beautiful little girls 9&6 yrs and he was an amazing daddy who didn't care if he had pink finger nails and doing girly things with his girls yet taught them to fish and camp and enjoy life! He was a man who was so proud to serve his country and when he had to retire early for medical reasons began his nasty battle. He may have lost here on earth but I know he won in Heaven! He was the greatest man I ever knew Love you forever and more MR Kokomo Indiana

My beloved Son,  we will always cherish the time we had and mourn the loss of a beautiful spirit.

My baby brother Shawn lost his battle with addiction this past week. We will miss him dearly. He was and will always be so much more than just an addict. Marysville Wa

I'm paying tribute to one of the most beautiful, gentle, kind and loving souls I have ever known. Todd Lescarbeau is and always will be my big brother, my best friend for 40 years, my protector, confedone and so much more! Todd was born on January 3rd, 1970, and one that day the sun rose, and everyday after he lived life to the fullest until the sun set on March 6th, 2012. He was a fun loving, protective and gentle Father, grand father, husband, son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend to all that he came in contact with. His addiction began like many others, with prescription drugs due to back problems and back surgeries over most of his life. He was a hard working man with integrity and loyalty to those who he loved and those who loved him. I will never forget the impact he had on this world, as he endured the struggle with his addiction that ultimately claimed his life! Rest In Paradise my beloved brother...Forever 42 ❤️

  I'm memory of my beautiful daughter Layla Kate Heckel, who died from a heroin overdose. 9/12/91-10/16/11 Fly free, baby girl...

For my beloved daughter, Lisa, forever 24.  We lost her to an overdose of heroin 2/16/15.  She was smart, funny and beautiful and is so missed and I am forever broken.    Love, mom

I love you Dad. You are gone way too soon. Im heart broken. I love you more than words

Posted 22/07/2018

My son was a beautiful soul. He was born July 12 , 1993 and February 23 , 2016 fatally overdosed on heroine laced with fentanyl. He was loved by many, christian lite up the room when he walked in. His smile was contagious, he was the friend everyone wanted. His addiction he hid well no one knew til it was to late. The first overdose was in January 2016 he promised he'd never do it again. I wanted to believe him I did believe him l, he was a good kid he had a baby in the way. I knew when I got the call that morning. Thurmont Maryland USA

My beloved boy, Patrick Mullen. was born  on May 23,1983 I loved him from the moment I looked at him. You died on July 25th 2015 Patrick was kind, thoughtful, and I loved him dearly. He had a good heart he was courageous. Patrick you are always in my heart and mind. I love you more than you could imagine. You left me with an ocean of tears.

This is for my beloved sister, Kimberly (Sissy). I love you and miss you so much every day. I can’t wait to hear your voice and give you a big hug in Heaven. I’m so sad that you have left us too soon, the world isn’t the same without you. I LOVE YOU. Love, your little sister ❤️

Posted 29/08/2018

My beautiful daughter, Sara, passed away in my arms on 12/15/2012. Her last words were, "I love you". That was a gift from her that can never be measured. I miss her so much. She was only 28 years old and about to turn 29 on 12/22/2012. She had so many drugs in her system that her respiratory system gave out and she couldn't breathe. By the time the medics got there she had just fallen into my arms with no pulse or heartbeat. They tried to intubate her but her lungs were so swollen that they couldn't get the tube in. They did chest compressions all the way to the hospital and she was put on a ventilator, had a trac tube, IV, and feeding tube. She was like this for four and a half months until her father finally agreed to let her go. She was in a coma the entire time and her poor little body was skin and bones in the end. During that time she had seizures and her body jerked constantly while her face was contorted. After they took her off of life support she lasted for ten days with Hospice and took her last breath on 05/03/2013 but, as far as I'm concerned, she died in my arms. The medics said that she had been without oxygen for well over ten minutes and her brain was basically gone. I miss her so much. I only wish that she had gotten help with the pain she felt instead of numbing herself with drugs for so long. To all of the loved ones of people doing drugs my heart goes out to you. I just wanted to tell my message and maybe, just maybe, it can save one pained soul. Get help. Seek guidance. Drugs can and will kill you and dying isn't really what you want. You want the pain to stop. There is help out there. Ask for help to seek it out. You don't have to do it alone and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Always in my heart, my son, Stephen Rhett Sharpe Jr . 1-19-83 - 7-24-04 Forever 21💜💜💜

West Columbia, South Carolina

On February 6, 2011, my beautiful son Levi lost his life as the result of an accidental overdose at the age of 30. An educated, funny, music loving father of two is deeply missed every minute of everyday. I honor his memory along with hundreds more every chance I have. I love you immensely my beautiful boy.