My son, Gregory D., died of an accidental drug overdose on October 9th, 2017. He was 27 years old. I adored my son and find it extremely hard to live without him. He had overdosed four times before (that I know of), two of which I found him in the throws of, and was able to rush him to the hospital in time. The last time, on October 9th, I did not get home in time to save him. He fought his addiction for years. He was the smartest, funniest and most loving person you could ever have the pleasure to know. Over one thousand people attended his wake – almost all were his friends, as we have only a tiny family. THAT, seeing his friends lined up for blocks and blocks waiting to come into the funeral home, was a testament to his unique spirit. The funeral home, seeing the people lined up, opened the service an hour early and stayed open an extra hour so that everyone could come in to pay their respects. He was so deeply loved, especially by me, and will forever be missed. My heart aches for him, my boy, my Greggie.

Rockville Centre, Nassau County New York, USA

Overdose affects everyone. From grieving families to spontaneous first responders, the impacts of overdose are far-reaching and fall indiscriminately.

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