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

I was blessed to grow up with Kyle. I can't remember a time he wasn't sweet as pie. He loved his family very much. I rarely saw him without a smile on his face. He was a great communicator and always took the time to genuinely ask about how I was doing and what was going on in my life. He was always close with his parents and enjoyed hunting or boating with them and his brothers. My cousins and I were spread across the nation as we grew older, but we still loved getting together once a year and catching up. We spent summers on the Mississippi River and on Dear Lake in Minnesota and family reunions at the Holiday Inn in Moline IL. I will never forget those precious times and I will never forget the kind person my cousin Kyle was.

Adam with an infectious smile and contagious energy! He was someone you don't miss in a room, he stood out in crowds. He was smart and funny, compassionate and caring. He would do anything for anyone! He loved his Harley his family and his friends. Adam's addiction does not define him. Addiction does not discriminate. I hope sharing a little bit about Adam can raise some awareness to those who still struggle to battle with addiction. Adam may be gone but he will never be forgotten and I will continue to share his story in hopes to raise awareness. Adam lives on through memory and the hopes to END THE STIGMA, NOT A LIFE. RIP you are loved <3

Christopher was a loving and caring person who battled a demon he could not beat. He was very humiliated by his disease and pulled away from everyone in an effort to hide it. Those who fought it with him knew how hard he tried to overcome it while so many others never realized he had a problem. When he was sober he was so fun and goofy. He loved children and always took up time with them. He had so much natural talent and so much to offer. His heart was his beloved Heather and their beautiful daughter Tempy. He tried to fight this for them but it finally got the better of him. Our prayer is that this may help even one person or family to overcome the horror brought on by drugs. He will forever be missed and will never be forgotten. We will never stop fighting to end the destruction of drugs. We pray for Gods blessings and peace for all affected.

Always a little moody as a youngster, Sara was pretty and sweet with the world seemingly on her shoulders. She was raised by me, her mom, as her father had disappeared after knowing I was pregnant. She needed a strong father figure but never had one. I'm sure there was a hole in her heart missing a dad. She was a wild child as she became a teenager looking to find herself in altered states... I constantly was warning her about drugs and taking care of herself. She was an Aries and hard headed and never wanted to do anything except what was her way. I often felt I didn't know her as she often reminded me. I wish I had more happy times to tell about her, but it was a hard job getting her to finish school, find work, be responsible and help her mom. I hope to learn someday why she felt so defiant... a mental health issue? An overprotective mom? A world that was hard on her? I loved her with everything I had from the minute she arrived in this world and I wonder if I could have made her life happier somehow.

Maddy Rae was 22 when she took her last dose of heroin. She was a beautiful girl with a hard struggle after her first introduction to heroin. Yet she was a free-spirit who loved to laugh, play and be silly, she was always the life of any party, gathering, home or relationship she had. Maddy was very close with her grams and mom, yet even if you were just an acquaintance, she would treat you as you were her best friend. Her favorite thing to do was help people and make them smile, and she was more gifted at it than anyone I have ever known.

Maddy had been in and out of rehabs after she went to prison for 19 months, at the age of 19. Although heroin had not really gotten her too hooked prior to prison, after prison she suffered from a full blown addiction. She got in trouble for stealing a 1/4 pound of marijuana from an 18 year old drug dealer. This guy reported her and the others with her, and although her first offense, they gave her maximum sentencing as well as putting her in the most dangerous prison. It was there where she was introduced to a real crime centered life... drugs, fighting, stealing, etc.
Despite her location, even in prison, Maddy inspired and helped hundreds of girls find peace and happiness in their souls. After her passing, the letters flooded in, even from women who were on death row, whom Maddy had imagined to inspire and bring love to their hearts. Such as though she was a gift from God to be sent to these places to bring light and laughter. As, no matter where she was, that was what she brought.

After prison, Maddy found a boy that could provide her with all the heroine and drugs she wanted. He, too, suffers from addiction and he is a dealer as well. As she continued to do drugs, the parole agency and her family (me) became more and more worried and so multiple rehabs were tried. The one rehab had her sober for 43 days, and truly, it was an amazing 43 days. She was so proud of herself, family counseling sessions were so positive and building for her self-esteem, self-worth, and motivation to stay clean. However, as Christmas approached, and she had not seen a Christmas since before her prison sentence, she got stir crazy and called her boyfriend to pick her up. It wasn't hours later when she was high. Christmas day came around, and she told me she would be ready to go back to rehab the next day. The day after Christmas, she returned to the rehab just to leave the next week, which led to jail (parole violation) and then to a court approved rehab out of the city. Yet, even that did not stop her. She managed a ride from there to her last dose. Many could not believe she was addicted to this ugly drug, she was the epitome of beautiful. Inside and Outside. People all over the coast celebrated her life in the most beautiful reverie. She was best friends with her mom and grandma whom she called mamma and grams. Her smile could take a sick person out of a coma as if it was alive. She loved so deeply and raw. Never minding the haters or naysayers. She just smiled and carried on. She longed for a family, yet she understood her addiction needed curing before she could bring a child in this world. Maddy has one sister and one brother. Both of whom loved her beyond words. She was like the glue to us all. The one whom we fret and worried about... or laughed and giggled about. She also has two stepsisters, whom she showed the meaning of true beauty, as both girls had a not so healthy background of what it means for a woman to have true beauty, she showed them true beauty is an inside job. Maddy displayed this in her life, despite her challenges, that the most important thing in the whole world is to be kind and loving to the people you meet, yet take no crap! And that is what made her the most beautiful of beautiful souls. She will be missed every single day. I, her mom, fought tooth and nail to keep her alive. The day the news came felt like the biggest defeat of my life.
I miss her every single day. I struggle every day with the fact that this just can't be real. The anger comes in waves, mostly at myself for not being even more aggressive in keeping her sober. Yet, it wasn't something I had no power over. I gave birth to her when I was 20 years old, and her and I grew up together. It has been the single most difficult blow of my world and although I have no questions of why, or even feel any injustice to God or the Universe, instead I just get angry that I am still here and I have to live this live out without her. Its a hard pill to swallow every morning, yet I get up and do it. Feeling powerless in a humbling emotion and as each day comes I realize the lack of power I actually have.
I have pictures of her everywhere, and in every moment of this life so far I just want to cry, because she was truly my best friend. The girl I was gonna grow old with. And instead she's frozen in time as this young beautiful angel that I will never see in that form, ever again. She will live through me in every way, and although I cannot physically see or hear her, I know she is with me. I know she is guiding me. I know she is okay with how sad I am. But I know she loved me so much, and that is what will carry me through. She loved her daddy too, so much. He was the man of her dreams that she couldn't seem to get enough approval from, she searched and searched for a man to save her from all this. I wish it could have been her dad. But as I sat thinking about how badly she wanted a dad/lover/man to rescue her, my mom looked at me and said... Ya know what, she was rescued by a man, the most loyal and strongest man ever... Jesus saved her. It was the perfect man for the job, and until I see her face again, I hope she is having a blast up there with him. I have a feeling she made heaven a bit lighter and brighter. Her radiance was out of this world.

As a child she was such a happy kid, always laughing and smiling. At 14 she started experimenting with drugs. She had ADD and school was a challenge for her. I feel that somehow her brain was just "wired" differently and that drugs were a way to make her pain go away. We used every resource that was available to help her with her addiction. 6-7 rehabs, IOP's, doctors that specialize in addiction, EMDR -all the different kinds of therapies used in rehabs. The psychiatrists would prescribe drugs-sometimes 6-7 at one time. Just more pills to make her feel better about herself. Addiction is a disease. Some addicts will survive and some will choose to move on.

Makenna was an animal lover and an accomplished equestrian jumper. She loved her dogs, her horse Shasta and riding. She adored her bird Augie, but drugs won her over to the dark side. She is now free of her addiction and pain, at peace flying with the angels.

My dad battled addiction my whole life. Addiction to alcohol, heroin, and later, prescription opiates. He was able to stop drinking, but the damage had been done and he succumbed to end stage cirrhosis. I always saw him as a tough, strong person. He built a dock for my mom in a day, he built boats, he even built an airplane. He could do anything. Except stop using opiates. I'll always hold on to the good memories of my dad, but I wish he was still here. Addiction is a difficult disease to talk about, but it's so important. We need more attention, more help, more options.

"Always be yourself unless you can be a unicorn, then you must always be a unicorn.”
Alex was our unicorn! A gentle soul that loved and cherished everyone he encountered. A musician and chef, he just wanted everyone to be happy. Addiction took him too early. Please hug your children and never miss the opportunity to tell them you love them. He will be missed by all who knew him. Please support addiction recovery efforts any way you can so we can stop this disease and stop the senseless loss of our loved ones.

I lost my youngest child in October of 2012 to a heroin overdose.
In September, Ryan was at his lowest; he was homeless and couldn't get a job so he just walked around all day. He asked me for help and, like so many times before, I called every place that I could think of but there were no beds available. I took him to the emergency room and the doctor wasn't very helpful. He said if Ryan wanted to get sober, he would have to do it on his own. The doctor gave us some medication to help with withdrawals and Ryan and I sat in a hotel room together for almost a week while he detoxed. The doctor said to watch him. Many times over the course of that week I stood over Ryan while he slept, just to make sure he was still breathing. Days later I was finally able to get a bed for him and we drove to the rehab.
Ten days into detox he called and begged me to come get him. I told him that he needed to stay and get better. The director of the rehab called me a few hours later to say that Ryan had called one of his friends instead. The man was on his way to pick Ryan up.
What kind of friend, much less an adult, thinks it is OK to leave a detox and rehab facility before it’s time?
Within a month, my son died alone in that “friend’s” guest room. Ryan had just turned 21.

If you didn't know him, there is no way to explain him, and if you did there is no need...We miss him more than he would have understood.

Cameron had a heart of gold, a unique sense of humor, and an infectious laugh that had the ability to light up a room. He saw the good in every person he met and genuinely cared for many. Cameron is not defined by his struggle with addiction, he is defined by the person he was under it all. He fought a difficult battle and worked hard everyday to better his life and make positive decisions. As a family, we are proud of all of his accomplishments and his kindheartedness. Cameron has taught us to love deeply, forgive often, have unadulterated patience and to understand that we are all better then our lowest moments. I will forever miss the sound of his laugh, his big hugs and will cherish all of our memories together.

Losing Cameron to this disease has always been my greatest fear. My heart breaks for all who live this and know there are many who undoubtedly struggle to mourn such a loss. Although it does not feel that way, know you are not alone, we will stand together to fight for health and sobriety for our families, friends, and neighbors. As a community we all need to do our part to stop this epidemic that is claiming so many young lives.

Daphine was a mother of three. She had a smile that radiated and was always a person no matter your mood who could get you laughing with her sillyness. She would do things to aggravate you but in a way that was funny and she loved every second of it. She was always so full of life and could take any situation and make it her own. She loved getting glammed up and dressed up even if it was just to go to the store. She was such a light to those who loved her. 

John was born curious and thoughtful to a hard-working single mother. At five years old he made reading the newspaper a part of his morning routine. At 14 he began boxing competitively, winning several local tournaments before graduating high school. He overcame poverty and severe trauma as a child, determined to live a life of both contentment and rich experience. He joined the Army and spent most of his free time traveling Europe. After two years of honorable service, he returned to his hometown of Denver Colorado. He became a tradesman, working for public and private organizations before starting his own successful business.

John seemed the happiest on warm, peaceful afternoons in the company of a few close friends. He was genuine, humorous, engaging, and sharp-witted. He preferred to communicate with clever jokes and sarcasm. He could intentionally offend you and leave you feeling amused by his delivery. He also held a deep yet private appreciation for beauty. He enjoyed the arts and took time to appreciate the natural beauty of the world around him. His favorite person was his mother who he spoke to on the phone every night.

He also loved and raised two children, dedicated to giving them the love, stability, and opportunities he never had. He was denied a relationship with his third and youngest child until she was a teenager. Because he had grown up without a father, the pain of not being in her life was devastating. After reuniting with her, he quickly worked to build memories and prove to her that she would always be loved and supported.

He worked hard and with integrity. John was skilled in his trade and he was staunchly honest when conducting business. He would only work for organizations that demonstrated similar values, offering quality and honesty. Although he valued money, he would never sell his dignity or integrity. If a company was disrespectful or dishonest to workers or customers, he would walk away. By keeping a simple yet comfortable lifestyle, he never had to compromise his values. Eventually, he started his own business, which gave him a deep sense of pride.

A nice home for his family, honest work, independence, and porch to enjoy the sunshine and good company; John was proud of the life he built. He defined his success, worked towards it, and was satisfied. However, substance use was his primary way of coping with the pain and trauma he had to overcome. John struggled with addiction for decades, but most people did not recognize the severity of his condition until his body began to deteriorate. His family tried to support him, but they did not completely understand the available treatments or the cognitive changes that he had experienced. We watched in agony as he slipped further away. Cherishing the good moments and coping with the bad. One day he did not greet the sun on the porch with his newspaper and cup of coffee. He was gone.

The years of struggle and the loss were incredibly painful for my family. My coworkers and friends knew my dad was sick and they wanted to be there, but the stigma of substance use disorder made it difficult for me to talk about it. It was isolating and hopeless for everyone involved. I am no longer feeling shame, I am so proud and grateful to have been raised by this man. I just wish I would have known how to help him when he got sick.

Trying to type this is one of the hardest thing I have ever done. I never thought that this would happen to my little brother.....

Olivia was our last child and only daughter. Her three delightful older brothers and her dad and I were "over the moon" happy to have her.What a beautiful, artistic, athletic, and kind little girl she was. "Livs" attended a French Immersion School for eight years, and became fluent in French, though was a bit too shy to be of much help on a family trip to France. Olivia's college years found her experiencing an array of health problems, including pancreatitis, liver disease, and kidney failure...all of which required many hospitalizations and pain meds.

We watched helplessly as our daughter suffered with both alcohol and opioid addictions. Though she was in several re-hab facilities, any progress was inevitably interrupted by the hospitalizations. This vicious cycle repeated itself. I only hope Olivia knows how very loved and precious she was to us. It was a privilege caring for her, and we miss her beyond words. I always told myself that the worst thing would be to lose one of my children. I was right.

We’re now committed to honoring her memory by making sure we do everything we can to help call attention to what has become a nationwide epidemic. More importantly, we want to help humanize addiction in a way that starts to replace fear and judgment with understanding and compassion. Thank you to Shatterproof for providing the platform.

Stephanie Colvin (Olivia's mom)

P.S. She helped me write this

You are missed dear Joe. You had a beautiful voice and a beautiful soul. Such talent. I wish i could have saved you from this, saved you from the pain another caused you emotionally that made you self medicate to numb the emotional pain you endured most of your short years here.

If only I knew you relapsed, I know I could have saved you😔 you are loved and missed by so many sweet Joe❤️

Laura didn’t know she would be taking the last photo of you, and spending your last few hours here with you. This picture is the last one taken of Joe, just a few hours before he was found by his Mom in his room.

Never again will we hear your voice or look into your eyes, a beautiful ocean hue;

A year passes by, the world in tow, as we struggle with this truth;

Our voices cry aloud, lingering silence fills the air;

Each of us, hearts in search, for what's no longer there;

Grasping onto our memories, we pull each other close;

Waiting on time to heal with patience, love and hope.    

<3 your "twirls"

She hid her addiction from everyone. Please don't let this take away from her life. She struggled with demons for years. Keep your family and friends away from opioid meds. I will remember her as my Little Big sister.
Always a special place in my heart for her. Until we meet again, Lisa

Bradley was a ray of sunshine who brightened every room that he entered. He had a kindness and spirit that touched the hearts of everyone who knew him. He always brought a sparkle to our eyes. We will always cherish his memories, and in between tears, wear a smile when we think of him. We continue to marvel and smile as we see the vast number of testimonies to the impact he has had on so many peoples lives. We will always love him.