The National Addiction Memorial honors the loved ones we’ve lost.

Stacy had a larger than life personality. He truely loved the family he built and suffered scars from the family he was born in to. He loved his children and grandchildren deep yet struggled with his most charished relationships. He was difficult to handle with his no holds barred opinions that at times pushed others away. He yearned for love and acceptance. He suffered a lot of pain--mental, emotional, and physical. Stacy had serious health issues. The seriousness became worse as his addiction became his only recourse, so he thought, to deal with his pain. All the while neglecting his health issues. He struggled most of his life in the thralls of his addiction. His love of his children and grandchildren were not able to distract him from trying to keep his demons away for very long. To not think about or feel his pain, he'd self medicate. As he was deep in the thralls of addiction NO ONE could pull him out of that grasp addiction had on him. Bringing him closer to death every day. Once he realized he wanted to live and how much he was loved, his health was at the point of no return. He became too tired to fight and succumbed to the hold his demons had on him. Addictio n destroyed his body, however his light will be awaiting those he loved on the other side. Just as those loved ones who passed before him were there greeting him when he left his painful physical world. He was loved and will always be missed. R.I.P. see you on the otherside Stace.

Matt was so smart and clever. He had a dry sense of humor and a big heart. He cared about his family and friends, and the NY Mets! He struggled in life, often being very hard on himself, trying to do things right, but everything was an effort. He is now soaring through the air like a bird, gliding, no flapping, no effort. Although we will miss him terribly and our hearts are broken here on earth, we know his earthly struggles are over and he is at peace.

My brother, my King Solomon David Mack. Gone too soon. He has touch many hearts. He was a loving son, brother, Uncle,cousin, and a great friend to everyone. He loved his music. His smile could light up the world. He got his very first job as a kid on a fish truck. Came home smelling of fish everyday but all he cared about was his snacks. Every since he always been working odd jobs to stay busy and was very dedicated to his work. Everywhere he went he never left without his bible. His job here on earth is done.God needed him now to.do a bigger job. He earned his wings🙏 I can't express this enough. His deliverence has left an awesome impact on everyone. He left with God on his side. My baby brother is gone and he left a big impact on this world. Rest up lil bro. I will mourn you till I join you. Love Big Bird aka your Big T

Jt Jordan was a happy, loving, and caring person. My brother lived a great life, but eventually turned to heroin, which changed our lives forever! Struggling in and out of juvenile facilities, in and out of rehab, and the repetition of relapsing. My brother fought for his life everyday. Until April 1st, 2018, while my mom was hiding Easter eggs, my brother was found dead in his room from a heroin overdose. Easter morning we were supposed to spend the day with family on the beach, but instead we all started planning his funeral! Jt was the light of the room, he had a great smile, a great laugh, and an amazing personality. He left behind a supportive and loving family, a beautiful little girl, and plenty of friends! Jt is physically not with us in the world, but he will always be with us in our hearts!! Gone but certainly never forgotten!!! We love and miss you Jt, see you soon!!!

Moe could light up a room with his million dollar smile and outgoing, fun, vibrant personality. He had a giving heart and would do anything for anyone. His struggles with addiction started fairly early on in his life and as so many other stories it progressed through the years until it ultimately took his life. He fought so hard and for so long! He didn’t want to Die but he didn’t know how to live without the escape of drugs neither. There is a very fine line when it comes to loving someone with an addiction and enabling an addiction! Learn the difference! It is POSSIBLE to enable an addiction to death! Don’t just seek help for your addicted loved ones but get help for yourself as well!!! Addiction is a family disease. We love you Moe and miss you more than anything.

A year has passed. There is not a day that goes by we don’t miss you. We aim to celebrate your life and speak of you often. So happy to have been blessed to have this video that captures your walk, yawn :), talk, laugh, and of course dance moves.
To all those family members and friends who support their love ones, continue to do so. They don’t mean to hurt us - addiction is a disease. For those who have lost someone to addiction- it doesn’t get easier but continue to be the voice and help change the way the world views and handles those who are struggling. To Andrew, we love and miss you greatly. Love, Lauren, Danielle, Mom and Dad

Taylor was a selfless, loving son who struggled with mental illnesses for most of his short adult life. Turning to alcohol as his solution to feel “normal” and numb the mental pain, his physical being started to decline rapidly. Even through the mental and physical pain, Taylor never focused on himself. He was always there to lend an ear to friends and family. He wanted only the best for people and to make sure people around him were happy. He will be missed by all those who were fortunate to know him.

Andrew was an adorable, big eyed baby; a tall skinny kid who grew up to become a very handsome man. He loved his parents and was so proud of his sisters too! He spent a lot of time with his family in Staten Island, Long Island, Connecticut, and Brooklyn.

He struggled for many years in life with his addiction. There were good times, there were bad times. He wanted to be loved, he wanted to belong, he wanted peace in his life. We am not going to say Andrew is in a better place because that place is with us. He is in Jesus' arms now, all of his wants and more are his.

We all loved you Andrew and wished you could have stayed with us longer. We prayed for you from the start and hoped and prayed for so much good for you in your life. Your big, beautiful smile will be missed, your sense of humor and witty charm too. You will never be forgotten, you were loved by so many people!!

I look forward to seeing you again.

Rest in Peace Grandson,

Whitney was very kind, smart, funny, and lighthearted. I always loved to be around her because she made everything seem fine even if it wasn't. She could take the brutal reality of a situation and make it sound hilarious. She was always around her friends and she loved music, computers, movies, and concerts. She was an empathic person listening intently to friends' problems and careful not to share their confidences. She had been involved in many activities such as cheerleading, ballet, band, and art graphics and was a good student. In terms of art graphics and photography, Whitney had an eye...a different perspective that made her very talented in this area.

She was a very sensitive soul that seemed to experience life on a different level. When I think of her it seems she was like a gentle breeze...carefree and unfettered by life's harsh realities. This is who she portrayed but inside she was plagued by a relentless anxiety and an emotional turmoil that led to her addiction to heroin and ultimately her death. She was 20 years old when I received the news that my child had been found dead in a credit union parking lot. She had died of an overdose. The child that I had cared for and loved with all my heart was gone. Previously, Whitney had been in recovery for a year and a half and was doing well. She had just completed her coursework to become a recovery coach and was engaged to be married. Addiction does not discriminate...recovery is lifelong...and one time is all it takes to wipe out a future. I love and miss my girl.

The best little brother a girl could ask for.
Danny lit up EVERY room he walked into.
He didn't give hand shakes but bear hugs to everyone he met.
If you needed absolutely anything, he would be there.
The most selfless person I have ever known.
We were both adopted and brought together making our bond even stronger and more special.
He was lost tragically before his 27th birthday and the void in our hearts and souls will never be filled.

He struggled for 10 years. The greatest, kindest person you could ever know. He is forever missed by me, his dad, his two sisters, and two nieces and a nephew. He was my sweet baby boy and I will never get over his passing.

I am creating this on behalf of a family who lost a son and a brother. Zach was not only the youngest of the Ferraro family, but an imperative piece of a puzzle that kept them all going. The Ferraro dynamic is really unlike any other family. The bond between them is so unusual to an outsider like me, that I appreciate the relationships, but don't always quite understand them. Zach was a good friend to me and many others, even in his addiction. As usual, there is tension and defeat in some relationships. Neither party is to blame when they stop interacting like they used to, but when one life comes to an end, the regret piles up. If only this and if only I had done that... Zach's famous words to me were always "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself." He meant that. Zach had a kind heart, a good soul, and was truly a person who felt for others.

Sorry I couldn't say a final goodbye and I hope others learn from your experience.

Adam was a beautiful soul, who loved animals and adored his son. I met my son when he was three. I fell in love with him right then and there. He always had addiction problems, and alcohol was his drug of choice. My wild child, with a heart of gold. He became addicted to opioids when he had surgery. Then he hurt his back, was given more opioids and he was using heroin to supplement the prescriptions. When he moved to Florida from Illinois, they were giving him 120 30mg oxycontin a month. That is when the hook went in deep. He was getting into trouble, making really good money and spending it all on drugs. He refused help. I know this drug is killing people and taking our children at an alarming rate. He was so stigmatized because of the way he died. I really deplore stigma. It reduces a human being down to an adverb. His death cannot be in vain and the stigma that goes with addiction must stop. These are humans and they are just like you. I live rurally and the talk was cheap and bad. I will do all I am able to help this cause. I have always been an activist. I was born this way. This is the most horrible thing that can happen to a mother. I am already bleeding and you say he was nothing but a what?

JESSICA
I'm going to tell a story...about a girl..that became a woman, and her view, pain, love, and hate of this world and the people in it and her difficulties to cope with each.
I'm writing this as her mom, but some of the content of this will be her words that came from a few journals that we found after her passing. I battled for days and weeks, now months, whether to make her life/cause of death public, but knowing Jessica, if this could help just one person she would do it!

In an excerpt from one of her journals she wrote the following: "It must almost be over.
What am I going to do then? All my friends are gonna go to hell. I can't handle any of this....anymore....life....people....talking....breathing...being a part of this thing called living.
I absolutely can't deal. God please help me...
Nobody can understand, not anymore...everything seems so useless and hopeless...I'm so weak. I can see the future, but I don't know how to help my friends, the people that I love...they don't know God...just like everybody else I know...I'm so lost...far away...gone. I love them too much...I care about everybody too much. I wish I could stop...I want it all to go away...everything...to run away...thats what I want to do. Leave the world behind...the depression...sadness...loneliness...emptiness...the infinite sorrow of death and pain. The torture of living. I want it all...to stop. But I don't wanna die I just can't do that...I care too much about everybody else...to hurt me...that damn caring thing again. God help me.
I see so much beauty...but it all comes from the pain and sorrow - it hurts- but I can see the beauty- what is wrong w/me. God please help...help me please. I don't know what to do and I don't know what I'm doing anymore. There's no point. Give me someone to talk to.
Why can't I just be like everybody else...somewhat normal- but please-no one is normal, maybe I am - no I'm not. God please.. I'm tired of fighting with w/myself and with/life.

That was my daughter, pretty much, in a nutshell, and this was written in middle school so she carried these feelings of hopelessness for decades! She cared so much for other people and their ups and downs, their sadness, their losses, their hopes and dreams, and she absorbed all of their misery and carried it day to day, and if she couldn't fix their problems it ate a hole through her soul.
This is a girl who found it extremely difficult to help herself and couldn't fix her own problems but she would always be at your doorstep if you called. She had to fix people. She attracted the broken ones.
This was, I'm sure, why she chose to find ways to numb herself. First it was the doctors, anti-depressants, anxiety meds, etc. Nothing worked...I don't remember the first pain pill, but she soon realized the euphoric feeling was the answer to all her misery!
Now I do realize that she dabbled in many things off and on through high school and college. It wasn't something she did everyday or even every week but the different "highs" she experienced made her forget how she felt...for a little while at least!
Later on in life she actually started withdrawing a lot...she ignored phone calls, messages, etc. This was partly her disease and partly because she realized trying to be everything to everybody was killing her.
She did this off and on for the rest of her life.

She also struggled with her appearance. She was taunted in middle school and that left a very deep scar. So when she started losing weight it really didn't raise any red flags. Needless to say it wasn't done without a drug. Doesn't matter what drug but she went through methadone treatment and NA to get off of it. And she did...that was many years ago so we thought she was finally on the right path...then she started drinking. A lot.

Jessica always had a smile on her face and you would never know that she was going through anything of any magnitude. She worked 40 plus hours a week, she made good money, customers loved her. She was high functioning with her addiction.
She didn't look like your "typical addict".

This girl struggled with how people treated each other, how they treated animals and what the world was becoming and the pure evil that surrounded us! This also was her pill to swallow...she hated this life...she was not of this world...she was just playing a part until it was her time to go. She came to us to teach us... and left us...to teach us something else.

Jessica was an angel on Earth and now she's returned to heaven as a heavenly Angel💔
Mama loves you baby and I will never get over you leaving us😢

Jessica died in my bathroom floor all alone. This haunts me!
The ME's report says she accidentally overdosed on heroin. Yes, she had heroin in her system...but she also had an artery that was 90% blocked and for almost a week prior she was having trouble breathing, and of course, she thought it was her asthma, so we never thought much of it. Now I'll never know if she had gone to the ER?? What if?? I have a lot of what ifs....

Red flags...none except moodiness...but hell that was normal sometimes!
I never knew she had ever used a needle...let alone heroin....this was something we talked about and she said, "No way, I'm too chicken to do that!"

Pay close attention to the people in their lives. No matter how old your children are pay attention to their new friends or old friends that reappear in their lives.

This was our first red flag!! I wish like hell now that I would have been psycho mom!
There's always that one person that you just can't put your finger on...but something is off.
Another "what if"?
But the sad thing I have to come to terms with is that Jessica was a grown woman and I probably couldn't have done anything that I hadn't done already or tried to do.

Burying a child is unnatural...I will never be the same...that's all I know for sure right now
Love your kids, never take them for granted....This was something that happens to other people or in the movies. Well I'm not in the movies so I guess I'm one of the "other" people now.

I did not write this for sympathy or any kind of attention. I wasn't sure if I should put Jessica's deepest thoughts or demons she fought out there for everyone to see. I'm still struggling but addiction is killing more and more of our families and I never in my wildest dreams would've believed our family would become a statistic.

I hope the details of Jessica's life and death touches someone out there and give's them the strength to get up and reach out to somebody for help.

PLEASE PLEASE SHARE THE HELL OUT OF THIS!!!! I need it to go far and wide to reach those that need it--that person sitting on the side of their bed wondering if this is how life is supposed to be and if life is even worth this pain, relying on a drug to get through the day to day. Is that living? Even though my daughter didn't commit suicide it's the same results. She knew that every time she let the devil take over and pierce her skin with that needle it could be her last. She took that chance every time. It's not worth it! Get up off the bed and tell someone, anyone, you need help! Hell, if you don't have anyone else call 911. Call the suicide hotline, 1-800 Suicide, check yourself into a rehab, just DO SOMETHING! Your life IS worth it!!

I will always remember the morning of Nov. 5th as the day my heart broke in two.

My name is Omar Abubaker. I am an oral surgeon, professor, and chair of the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, at Virginia Commonwealth University and Hospitals. I lost Adam to heroin laced with benzo, over four and a half years ago.

Adam is (was) my youngest son of three children. Sarah is the oldest and Joe in the middle. Joe and Adam were living together when Joe found out that Adam was using heroin. Adam was too embarrassed to come and ask me for help so he asked Sarah and Joe to come with him so I would not be mad at him. When they came to me my first question is what should we do, where do we go for treatment? His sister said my friend is having treatment at a local place. The next day I drove him there. That was at the beginning of December 2013. He started to detox and three weeks later they told me he has a positive urine test for heroin. I got mad at him and we talked about it and he was very apologetic. Looking back at that now I feel awful and ashamed I felt that way.

From that point, he went through a course of 9-month recovery, during which he moved out, started a full-time job, and started going to school at night. On Friday, September 26, 2014, at 1:00 he was close by at the MCV hospital/school where I work, having a doctor appointment so he called me and asked me if he could stop by. I said yes. We talked for about an hour and I suggested we go away just the two of us on his one-year anniversary in recovery. He said: "One day at a time, dad". After we were done, we walked to the bookstore and bought him books and stethoscope for his class (he was studying to be an EMT). Then we stood by the traffic light across the street from my office. We hugged and he said, "I love you dad" like every time we ever part ways. I stop by this traffic light every day on my way to work. I never knew at that moment that it would be the last time because the next day, I got a call 8:00 to be told that he was found overdosed, no pulse, and not breathing. He died four days later. I never walked into his room in the hospital ICU. I wanted my last memory of him to be the hug, and the words "I love you dad".

Since his death, my life has never been the same. Initially, I wanted to die so I can be with him, followed by being afraid to die because I wanted to live so I can revenge his death. I went to graduate school for a year on addiction studies so I learned the science of addiction. I wished I knew what I know now before I lost my son because I often think I may have been able to do a better job to understand him and maybe could have helped before or after he was afflicted with the disease. Because I had no second chance at saving my son, I wanted to do something to save others sons and daughters. Over the past two years, I have been traveling across the country (over 75 times) speaking to dentists and physicians to prescribe responsibly. Adam got addicted to prescription medications after shoulder surgery and within months he became addicted to heroin. I have spoken over 100 times locally in my city (Richmond), all over the Commonwealth of Virginia, and nationally at dental meetings, to nurses and medical students, dental students, 3 churches, a synagogue, 2 public libraries and anybody who wants to listen. I have appeared in the media (TV, newspapers) and I testified at the US Senate HELP Committee in Washington, DC.

Everywhere I talked I brought up Adam's story, and similar stories of other families, to make the point that addiction is a disease and to destigmatize the disease. I use the quote from Shatterproof, that Brian said "It took 300 years for the women in Salem to be vindicated." In my presentations, I always say, with my efforts and speaking up to prove using science that addiction is a disease and not a moral failing, I also say that I hope that it will not take that many years for my son, Adam, Brian, and many other Adams and Brians to be vindicated. They did not want to be addicted and wanted to be well. If all my efforts will result in one day sooner for society to accept the true nature of addiction then I am still at peace. As many parents who endured the agony of losing a son or a daughter, I cannot imagine that death will be more painful than my loss so I have not been afraid of dying since his death. The only thing I am afraid of nowadays is dying before I do enough on this issue.

Adam was a generous young man and what I miss the most about him is his unique laugh, his characteristic tight hug, and his signature goodbye. "Love you dad". I never remember an instance when we said goodbye in person or over the phone without closing by this signature. Since his death, I have not had any of these pieces of warmth. In his death, he is generous too. He is an organ donor and four people who benefited from his two kidneys, his liver, and his heart are still alive and doing well 4 1/2 years later.

I wear his high school graduation ring every time I am invited to speak so I feel he is still with me in spirit and that it is him speaking (because I am not sure I would have done that if it was not for him). I also feel that since parts of him are still around, he is now quadrupled the presence he was when he was alive. I am his legacy instead of it being the other way around (as it supposed to be) and that is the irony of this universe. Thank you for giving me the chance to post this.

Shawn was my younger brother. He was a light in so many lives. He was so very funny, always wanted to help others feel better and laugh. There was never a time when he would come over for family gatherings that he didn't make everyone laugh. He also felt very deeply, and gave me a special necklace that means so much to me. He was very much into music and what the words meant. He was an extremely smart person. Things people would struggle with he understood with ease. He had a very technical mind and when he was into something, he was all in, 150%. He was also easily addicted and while he was able to function pretty well through it most of the time, it also would take a terrible toll. He became suicidal a couple of times that we know about, something that I think was made worse with his using. I don't think he saw how much he meant to so many people. He also hurt a lot of people. Addiction is ugly. Finally he couldn't fight it anymore and either intentionally or accidentally left us during the night on March 28th, 2019. I miss him terribly.

Daniel was loved by his family and friends and was fiercely loved in return. He was an only child on paper but had many cousins who regarded him as siblings. He was funny, charismatic, and loyal. His absence has left a hole in all of us. He will never be forgotten.

Michael was a shining soul with a beautiful smile. He possessed great kindness of heart and empathy for others. He was witty and playful. He was a bright young man. All who met him loved him. There were times throughout his battle with addiction that he managed to stay in recovery. But there were also the dark times of relapse. He was greatly loved by his family and friends who witnessed his valiant struggle. In the end, his disease took his life. We will always love him and keep as a treasured memory of Mike, his beautiful, bright, smiling face.

My beautiful Son. Beautiful Brother. Beautiful Nephew.

Shawn was a person who would always make you laugh. He was living with his grandparents since he was 14. He had his trouble with drugs since around the age of 15. Rehab after rehab. He found heroin around the age of 19 and was fighting the fight to get free. Lost his fight May 29, 2018. HE WILL BE MISSED fR