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

My sister Amie struggled a lot with her addiction. But when we were kids she was playful and fun. I miss her so much.

Alec lost his battle with addiction on January 8, 2019. He was an amazing young man. He was fun-loving, smart and so many more amazing qualities. He is missed terribly by myself as well as his sisters and other family members.

DEREK was pure joy! He had many, many friends. His dad died in 2009, DEREK took it real bad. He was 17. He smoked pot from 14. Started percs at 18-19 got hurt at wrk. Friend gave him some for pain. That was the start of the opioids. They get too expensive, started heroin at 20. Used for a year then quit for 1 1/2 yrs. Got more depressed about life & his DAD. Starts using again. I had no clue at all!! When I found out I sent him to rehab immed. 6-7 rehabs, nothing worked. Finally he got a great job and in March 2015 he got clean. Was on probation for 6 mos for job. July 2015, car accident, broken collar bone, didn’t take any pain meds. Out of wrk for 8 wks. Started heroin again. Nov 2015 sent to rehab in Cali. Doing great. Came home end of FEB 2016 for a court date I couldn’t cancel. Started using when got home from Cali. Died 1 wk after he got home. Sober house in Cali kicked him out because he failed a pee test. I had Insurance but they said something didn’t go thru. THAT WAS WHEN MY WORLD, LIFE ENDED.

Sarah, our incredible daughter, was a larger than life person, adored by many, a brilliant artist, a kind, compassionate soul, dog lover and a rescuer of senior dogs. She was warm, funny, and real. Unbeknownst to us, around the age of 16, she started using drugs, seemingly wanting to escape the demands of reality. At age 17 1/2, Sarah was awarded a full scholarship to Kansas City Art Institute and by the time her first semester was completed, her drug use was out of control and she dropped out of school. She became addicted to
cocaine but used whatever drugs were available. Out of control, unwilling to talk with us, she found herself in a dangerous world where she was beaten, raped, robbed and more. One night she was taken to the ER and talked with us after a year or more of being out of touch. She agreed to return home to California, said yes to rehab and then sober living. Her first year home was amazing for all of us. We had our daughter back, she was doing well, going to meetings, working and following through on what she promised. So, at the end of that year, knowing that being an artist was her dream, we offered to send her to a really good art college. During her time there, she remained sober and created wonderful art but after graduating she talked her doctor, who knew she was an addict, into giving her xanax and klonipin. Almost immediately she was addicted. We didn’t have a clue as she was not living at home, and was great at concealing what she didn’t want us to know. She had applied to the UCLA Fine Art program for a Master's degree, was accepted on a full scholarship, which was a true honor, as they only accepted four people for the year she had applied. About two months before school started we thought she sounded strange on the phone, went to her apartment where she was very drugged out. We begged her to go to the hospital for detox and treatment, knowing her life was on the line and that she might miss the amazing opportunity to attend UCLA. She received treatment, was able to complete her Master's drug-free but once she graduated in 2012, her use of drugs, mostly opioids but whatever else she could find, spun out of control. Her addictive behaviors emerged again: moodiness, dishonesty, constant crises, fatigue, and the inability to manage her life. In 2017, she called us saying she needed rehab. We helped her get admitted. Upon discharge we asked, practically begged her, to go to intensive outpatient rehab. She refused. She started using again almost immediately upon discharge. That was 2018 when fentanyl was available. Somehow, during the last year of her life, regardless of how out of control her drug use was, she was able create a most amazing art show at Klowdenmann Gallery in Los Angeles. If you google her name, you can see her work, which was her passion and a manifestation of her life force. Sarah’s final gift was donating her organs, giving life, allowing her to live on in others. Rest in peace our beautiful daughter!

James, or Jay (as I called him) or J.J. (As a lot of people knew him) was an amazing man! We fell in love when I was 14. Although I tried to fight it I gave in 10 years later and married him. He loved our children and really he loved all children! He was a hard worker but he loved to play around just as much! He was a jokester, always pulling pranks at work. We struggled with our addiction together in our 30's. I couldn't believe we became addicts at that age. He was and will always be my first love and my hero! I will never forget him and I will make sure no one else will either! I will make sure his life did not end in vain. His story is so complicated yet really so simple. Drugs prescribed by doctors started it all. A dirt bike accident started it all, and Heroin ended it all. Sometimes people can't make the connection between the two but a lot of people who have struggled with this understand. It happens a lot. More than it ever should!

I miss Aidan’s gentle spirit. He was easy to talk to and he really understood people. I am honored to be his mom. Aidan’s struggle with addiction was short. He didn’t get a second chance. Aidan lived a life of love and compassion. He will be forever remembered.

Zachary had battled with addiction since the age of 17. He overdosed in June of 2017 and was brought back to us by the use of Narcan. He was in outside treatment from that point on. Zack was the most loving giving caring young man. He was a best friend to all. He would take in the “underdog” and love them unconditionally. Once he was your friend you had him for life. He was the best friend to his sister. They had the most loving relationship, truly best friends. Zack was my man of the house and the most loving compassionate son a mom could have been blessed with. He had the softest soul... I believe too soft..he didn’t want to die and leave us! Zack died from Fentanyl which we are seeing families losing their loved ones to every day! Life will never be the same and as his mom, I will never be the same we just have to somehow keep going on for our love for Zack.

Keith was born in 1985, the first boy on my side of the family in 30 whole years. And he was all boy. A delight, a struggle, and a handful. He adored his sister born three years later and together, our life was a mass calendar of sports and activities, nonstop. Both of our children excelled as athletes and had very busy social lives. Cut to about 10th grade when drugs began to invade our home and the downside began. It would take far too much time to go into, but from age 17 to 20, our child went thru 18 rehabs, two arrests, and 90 minutes after leaving his last rehab we got a phone call to rush to a hospital where they told us he was no longer with us. The year 2006 was the beginning, really.Suburbia was in shock. Our children didn't do heroin. That's "for low class people, broken homes, children who don't eat dinner every night together." All of those stereotypes were rampant and brought me to my knees. Heroin had BECOME SUBURBIA. In shock and absolutely devastated, as we roll into 13 years already without our beautiful boy, I see the ache is far,far worse and the longing is greater. I don't much like my new life but I do it for my daughter and my husband. And I remember the child who lit up our world and wish every single day we could go back. Nibble, Nibble, Crunch...

My mini me, my first born, a connection I cannot even explain. I miss her sense of humor and the way she accepted everyone right where they were in life. I miss seeing her with her siblings and the little ones getting to know her. She left a hole in my soul when she left.

Joshua had a heart of gold. He would do anything to help someone in need. Joshua loved to make people laugh. He was a very talented artist. Joshua will be forever loved and missed. I will hold you in my heart until I can hold you in my arms again.

David’s struggle with Substance Use Disorder began after having his wisdom teeth removed the summer following his senior year. He was prescribed 60 Percocet and he slid quickly into addiction. He passed at age 23 of acute overdose of cocaine and Xanax, alone with a needle in his arm. After his death, I educated myself and now educate others about SUD. I tell parents not to fall for “not my kid syndrome” and tell kids that one “bad decision” can lead to death. This picture is the last picture I would have with both my sons on 12/23/2016. David is on the left and his younger brother, Charles, on the right.

My son Joshua was a good man!! He tried so hard in life but he had an addiction that overtook him. I love my son and my heart is forever shattered. I would give anything to have him back, but I know he’s not struggling and he’s not hurting anymore. He is with God now and I hope to see him soon💔😭🦋 Fly high with the angels my beautiful son!!🦋😇🦋😇🦋😇🦋

Lil was a very sweet beautiful young woman. She loved music, playing video games. She loved all animals. She was funny and also she loved her son, Levi.

Nick had an addiction to marijuana. He wasn’t himself the last couple of months of his life. He was depressed and unable to eat or sleep. We assumed it was depression and had him see the doctor. He was a senior in college. We begged him to come home but he insisted he was fine. One Saturday morning his roommates came home and he was already gone. Nothing they could do. They have all clammed up. We will never know what was going on those last couple of weeks. There were over 700 people at his funeral. He was an amazing person. Had the world at his fingertips. He had an infectious laugh. He made anyone he met feel like a queen or king. Nothing will ever ease the pain of losing our blue eyed boy.

He was a hunter and liked fishing. Loved to be the life of the party. Would give you the shirt off his back. Loved music, karaoke, and a great dancer. I know he used some drugs growing up but nothing that he ever did for periods of time. He took a fentanyl patch one night I found him almost dead. It scared him, but I told him he should try and go live with his dad in NC where he worked for him as a carpenter doing trim work, making great money. He worked out a lot, very healthy. One night he was with a different group of friends, got something, went home and that was it. Took my handsome son's life. It was fentanyl! He would be so mad at himself. He didn't want to die, he loved life. It just takes one time or could take 100. Bobby would say don't touch drugs if he was alive. Thanks. Bobby's mom forever.

My daughter had only lived on her own for four months. We didn’t realize she had started inhaling Air Duster when her daughters were with their dad. On the night of her death, those who were hanging out with her at her apartment got scared and waited to call 911. Had someone called immediately the outcome may have been different. Heartbroken Forever 💔