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

On October 21, 2016, my 27-year-old daughter, Miriah Katherine Herport, was found unresponsive on a street from a heroin overdose. She lived for 8 more days on life support, and was pronounced clinically brain dead. She took her last breath on October 29, 2016 at 6:43pm, surround by myself and loved ones. The only way I can describe what we as a family went through: It was a complete nightmare. Miriah started using heroin five months before she ultimately lost her life to this epidemic. Miriah left behind three beautiful daughters, Aleeyah (11), Ava (7), and Hannah (4). She also has two younger sisters Taylor (23) and a little brother Brandon (8)

Prior to Miriah's heroin use, she had experimented with drugs, but never had any significant problems or issues with substance abuse. Miriah started to use heroin at the end of May in 2016. She was going through a breakup with her long-term boyfriend and reconnected with an old friend from high school, who happened to be addicted to heroin. She made a bad decision to try heroin and she was hooked immediately after the first time she used it.

Her life began to spiral out of control very quickly. Within weeks she lost her job, became homeless, she was sleeping in her van, staying in cheap motels, and stealing to support her addiction. It was then we came together as a family and decided to take the girls from her, so they would be safe with other family members. Miriah made a few attempts to get help. She admitted to her family that she didn't think she could beat this addiction. She went to a 72-hour detox program. She also completed an assessment and was accepted into a long-term treatment program for women, however, she had to be put on a 4-6 week waiting list. Despite her release from the 72-hour hospitalization in the behavioral health center, and numerous attempts to stay clean, she never made it to rehab. She overdosed on October 21 and died on October 29, 2016.

The last 5 months of her life do not reflect or define the person Miriah was before heroin. She had a beautiful and creative spirit and was a loving and giving person. She was a friend to everyone, and had an amazing laugh. Miriah was exceptionally intelligent. She was very knowledgeable in world history, social issues and an amateur artist. Most of all she loved and adored her three daughters. Her legacy will continue to live on through her children and we will continue to share her story in order to help others and raise awareness of this epidemic. Miriah will be forever missed and there will always be a void in our lives, she was an amazing person and we will miss her always...

Brian connected to people through humor and his contagious laugh. He always brought levity to any situation and made everyone feel welcome. We will miss him so very much.

My beautiful boy Michael (my son) lost his battle with addiction at age 30 on 5/11/14.

He was the best son I could have ever hoped for! He was a loving brother and an uncle to two nephews that he adored.

He was loving, caring (always helping others), funny and creative, handsome, smart, energetic, athletic (football, wrestling, baseball, street hockey), loved animals, and nature. Those who knew him were instantly drawn to him by the angelic aura that completely surrounded him from the day he was born.

After struggling for 8+ years with addiction (opiates prescribed by an unethical doctor) his body could no longer handle the abuse, shame and depression - he passed away on Mother's Day 2014. Our family is heartbroken forever....

I am proud to say he was an organ donor and has saved the lives of four men!! A true testament of the wonderful person he was.

He was brought to us by angels; temporarily taken by the devil; and in the end, saved by the superior love and enormous strength of God! Rest in peace my dear sweet Bubba! Loved and missed dearly by all, every minute of every day. We keep his memory alive by talking about all of the good times. XOXO

Connor watched another family member struggle through recovery, which consumed a lot of the family's energy and time. He actually made this recovery happen by forcing the issue to get all family members behind this effort. Unbeknownst to family, he himself struggled with addiction, silently. We believe he didn't want to burden those who loved him most, after watching someone else go through this. He had pride, wanted to make it on his own, to be a man, responsible and to show he was in control of his life. Towards the end, his journal entries show that he was working on recovery, writing about being powerless, surrender, and finding his higher power. He was on the right track, but could not do it alone. He ran out of time.

In life, Connor was brilliant in music, playing classical music on piano one minute, slamming on the electric bass in the next. His true passion was classical piano. His musician friends all have commented on how unique he was on an instrument, putting his own touch on anything he played. He was starting on the path to become a great wood-worker. He was a deep thinker, great conversationalist, good travel companion, and his dry sense of humor will be sorely missed. We all had unfinished business with this very special guy.

Connor had a one-of-a-kind relationship with his Mother, was his father's best friend, was trying to be a closer brother, had so much more to offer the world, and those who met him never forgot him. He was a beautiful person. He was an old soul. Had he lived, he was one who would have made a difference. His passing was senseless, tragic, devastating, and totally unnecessary. He will be remembered every day, by many broken hearts.

Doug was complicated. He was fun and infuriating, silly and serious, insightful and capable of huge misjudgments. He created and enjoyed several life long friendships and made friends easily with expressions of warmth and enthusiasm.

Doug sought treatment many times and for short periods of time experienced life mostly free of substance use. He had significant health challenges and these often complicated his relationships with medications, drugs, and alcohol. He leaves an empty space for many and his family will always recall with great love and appreciation his unique personality and perspective.

Scotty was a talented freelance copywriter in the advertising industry, with wide ranging interests and talents. He was an artist, a musician, a collector of guitars, avid sea fisherman, terrific surfer, and meat loving grill master. Scott loved his family deeply, and he will always be with us in spirit.

Scott was the youngest of five children, and was exposed early to typical teenage temptations. He grew up in the small town of Laguna Beach where life was idyllic and protected. He also experienced a very delayed puberty which may have been the beginning of his use of drugs to alleviate anxiety. The delayed puberty was a challenge for him to manage, especially in light of the athletic focus of the family culture. But, it is not at all clear why some use drugs to alleviate pain or anxiety without submitting to the demon of addiction. The world needs better science to understand such an important question. Because of Scott’s intelligence and pride, he was able to hide his addictions from his family and was a high functioning adult. He went to rehab 15 years ago (shortly after college) for alcohol addiction, at his own instigation, and during those 15 years it seemed that he was thriving. It was only 2 weeks before his death that we became aware that he was not himself, and was struggling. The family circled around him in support. We were too late. He spiraled out of control, getting his drugs off the dark net…delivered by UPS truck…a delivery system that must be tackled and stopped.

Scott left behind a close-knit family of 17, and we are all dedicated to creating a world where addiction can be successfully treated.

Jared entered this world kicking and screaming surrounded by his mom, father, grandparents, and family. But unfortunately, he exited this world far too soon--alone--and quietly during the night due to an accidental overdose. We'll always remember the joyous occasion of his birth, and we'll relive the wonderful years and memories of his life. However, we will never forget the moment that our lives stopped momentarily upon learning that our son had passed during the night due to a senseless overdose, alone, with no one around. That is the reality of addiction and substance use. You will die, but for the rest of us, we have to regroup in our "new normal" way of life and move forward without you. It's not just you that addiction kills. Addiction takes us also, but more slowly, a little at a time.

It was once said that the "dash" (-) between the birth date and the death date are all of those years and memories in between. For Jared, those years were only 29, but he lived life to the fullest and lived life the way he wanted to live. We are very thankful to God for allowing us to spend 29 wonderful years with our son. He was a gift! God Speed Son--God Speed!

My brother struggled with depression most of his life. His addiction began as a way to cope with the sadness he felt. He felt like there was no other choice but to use in the neighborhood he lived in. Many cold, homeless, hungry nights we spent together sleeping outside. I once tried to kill myself a couple of years before he passed and he stopped me and took me to the hospital. Now, even in death, he has saved me again. Giving me a passion for sobriety and life. I could not have done it without him. He stood by me when no one else would. Love you more than I showed you. I am sorry Ryan, see you on the other side.

You were taken too soon from all those who loved you. We miss you every day and try to find ways to go on with you gone, which seems so impossible at times. We find comfort Just knowing your're free from those chains that held you down for so long. You're finally at peace.

Forever loved but never forgotten...

Erica was a beautiful, vibrant young lady full of life. Looking forward to her future in Radiation Technology. For the last 6 or 7 years, Erica battled extreme anxiety, which at times led to depression. She would choose various drugs from time to time in small doses to feel better. She began with marijuana and believed it was harmless. I tried to tell her it would lead to other things. About a year ago, a middle aged man approached her on her job and gave her three bags of heroin and promised her it would be the best she ever tried and if she could sell it, she would have great wealth. A couple of months later, she and a close friend snorted it. From then on, they were hooked. We did not find out until September 2017 that she was using heroin, never would have thought it. My vision of a heroin user was not my daughter, living right under our roof. She went to rehab out of state for 90 days on October 28, 2017. We picked her up from the airport and on January 26, 2017, we were shocked at her transformation. Physically and spiritually she was healed, but the mental torture never left her according to her journals. On February 6, 2017, I returned home to find she overdosed in her bedroom. Her pain was too great here and the Lord called her home. Now her home is mine to carry. We love her and miss her so much.

Patrick was someone who laughed and smiled at many different things and really experienced the world with an open mind and open heart. He loved dumb jokes and stand up comedy and was someone who had an infectious joy and personality. He was like anyone, he wanted to be loved and respected and happy. He also wanted to make others happy, which he did.

He was diagnosed with bipolar and depression at a young age and struggled with heroin addiction from the age of 17 to his ultimate passing at the age of 30. He tried multiple rehabilitation methods and was able to stay clean for long periods of time but would usually start using again eventually, especially during times of hardship. This last year he was able to maintain a year of sobriety and was in a wonderful place but was unable to fully beat his addiction and we lost him to an overdose earlier this year. I think knowing his pain and struggle has permanently changed my perspective on addiction. I witnessed his immense strength and ability to fight for so long and when you think about how many others are going through such hardships, especially those who are alone or lack support, it is heartbreaking. I think what we can all take away from people who fight against addiction is just how much willpower and effort it takes.

I miss everything about him. He had more empathy than anyone I have ever known. He would never hesitate to give everyone a hug and warm embrace. Even if they were complete strangers. I don't honestly think he had any hate in his heart at all. I don't just miss the clean version of my brother, or the older brother from when I was younger whom I looked up to with wide eyes. I miss the brother who was always struggling for his life. The brother who even though he was sick from withdrawal still showed up to help me move and to watch me graduate. I miss not only the person he was but the person he never got to become. I miss the person who would have been the best father ever and would have loved that child more than anything. He was supposed to grow older and be an uncle and his addiction robbed the world of a really wonderful person. I will just miss him and not getting those bear hugs during the holidays that was always followed by "love you brotha."

His motto was "IT'S GONNA BE OK, BECAUSE IT'S OK" which on the surface makes absolutely no sense but when you dig into it a little deeper, has a lot of depth and meaning. In a way, this perfectly sums up who Patrick was. He was someone who easily could have been reduced to everything he was on the surface, and was someone who society or even Patrick himself would deem a failure. When you scratch below that surface or veneer, something truly beautiful and wonderful was revealed. He was a person with remarkable courage and strength who fought every day (until the end) for happiness in his life. He had hopes and aspirations and never gave up on trying to get help. People who live with addiction are the some of the strongest human beings on this planet and he was living proof of this. The next time you encounter someone with any type of addiction, think of the people like my brother who did not possess a judgmental bone in their body. Remember that all persons are deserving of love and empathy, and if you can, smile and tell them "it's gonna be okay, because it is already okay."

How can one measure sin? If you're a believer, you know God says that all sin is equal. But if you're not a believer, the same question still stands. If you ever drank a sip of alcohol, you know that it could end in death. You know that alcoholics and drunk drivers begin at "just one sip." The wage of sin is death, no matter what the sin is. I start off this way because I think when people hear that someone dies of a drug overdose, they lose sympathy immediately. Immediately they are put in a category of loser, trash, or sinner, and quickly forgotten as son, brother, family member, and friend. You forget someone loves this person with the deepest parts of their heart, and my cousin was loved that way. He was funny. He was smart. He was talented. And he was a masterpiece of God. We all are, no matter what wrong choices we've made.
My wrong choices in life are equal to all the wrong choices my cousin made. Unfortunately, his wrong choices have led him to a death that is sooner then mine. But he is loved the same by his family and by the one who created him.

My cousin "Little Ricky", as I called him, was first introduced to me at the start of his heartbeat in my aunt's belly. She was pregnant the same time my mom was with my baby sister. The doctor gave my aunt this little machine she could take home with this jelly like substance that she could rub on her belly and then put it on her stomach and you could hear Ricky's heartbeat. My aunt was so excited she came to my mom's house with it and we spent the night listening to the heartbeat of my sister and my cousin. It's a memory I'll never forget at just 6 years old. Then both my sister and Ricky were born and they were buds. We used to have parties and Ricky would run around with this silly personality that was larger then life. But Ricky learned at a very young age that life wasn't all rainbows and butterflies when his older half brother he looked up to, Bobby, struggled with addiction and eventually passed. I think that, mixed with the neighborhood he lived in, caused life to go in a direction that no one wanted for him. We all know the saying "show me your friends and I'll show you your future" or "you are the company you keep." Even though Ricky came from a loving family, the friends that his school and neighborhood offered weren't going to be lawyers or doctors, maybe blue collar kids and that's at best. And after knowing his brother's story and losing him, I think he began to believe that "this was life." Could I be wrong in some ways? Sure. But I'll be willing to bet it all had something to do with it in the end.

Moving on to his life lived. He loved his parents dearly, even though they were tortured by his lifestyle. The real Ricky would have done anything for them. He had a huge desire to love a woman but with the drugs he wasn't ever the man he could have been to them, I'm sure. He was loved hard by his family and shown tons of affection and I know he turned around and gave that same affection to his girlfriends. He had lots of friends, although many of them struggled with a similar set of demons. He loved them and they loved him. And then lastly, his family. His grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We loved him and he loved us. At our last Christmas party with him, he was doing well again and we all felt like we had "Little Ricky" back. That's what we all called him. He was so proud that we were his family and showed an enormous amount of love to each of us that day. He went home and made our "traditional family Christmas picture" his Facebook profile picture for months! That still makes my heart happy now.

In the last months of his life, he was actually "different." We heard he was clean in the past but all those times came and went quickly. This time he was actually trying and trying hard. He was up early doing things for the community and was interested in making the world a better place. He had new friends and a new girlfriend and began to build a deeper and more loving relationship with his parents.
He had a desire to be better. And that's what led him to a place that one's parents could only dream about. But as we know the story doesn't end in a complete turn around, hence the reason I write.

I myself have a relationship with Jesus and my struggle and grief mostly came wondering if he ever made the decision to believe in God. I know if he, at any point, made this decision it's what would carry him "home." It wasn't until a few days after his passing that I saw a post on Facebook that piqued my interested. Someone wrote "Jesus wept and now I know why" and it was a picture of my cousin. I looked deeper into it only to see that my mentor from church was friends with the woman who posted it. I immediately messaged my mentor asking who the woman was and how she knew her. She told me that the woman is a Christian who works with addicts and does service projects with them. Then my mentor realized who my cousin was and said, "I know him! He was doing so good and everyone loved him. He is safe now and in the arms of Jesus. I have faith he is healed so celebrate his healing. He doesn't have to fight anymore."

If I could only explain to you the relief I felt in that moment. Although Ricky didn't make it as long as we had hoped in this world, I believe he made it to the only home that matters. I later found out that before he died, he acknowledged his faith and said things like "I'm finally becoming who God planned for me to be." As much as we wish he would have continued a long life on this earth for our own selfish reasons, he struggled again and passed away on April 1, 2017. But one thing I know to be true is that God is a good father. It's who he is. And we are loved by him, it's who we are to him. I'm sure He didn't want Ricky or those around him to suffer any longer. I know there is a bigger picture that only God can see. I'm rejoicing for my cousin. He is in the place I long to be. He is with the one I love the most. He is with our Good Father and at the only destination that I care to arrive.

You're home Little Ricky. One day I'll see you. But til then, I'll remember your great big smile and your trademark words "I love you cuz."

Harrison was loved by everyone he met. He was motivated and driven to be the best he could be. All he wanted to do was give his family the greatest life possible. He worked very hard but also had his struggles. His world was his little girl Marlaina. From the moment she was born, he became Mr. Mom. He was a talented DJ and really had a touch for entertaining the crowd. He was very close with God and involved in his church. Though he struggled with his addiction, he had good control over it for 8 years. And then, after all that, creating a life, a business, getting married, having a child, devoting his life to God, he still lost the fight. This addiction is no joke. No matter how hard he would try and how good things were, it was still there sitting in the room waiting for him. All it took was one time for him to fall back into old habits, and it took his life. Leaving behind a ton of broken hearts and, worst of all, a little girl without her daddy. The only peace I get from losing my husband is knowing now his fight against addiction is over. Stay away from it people...and if you're in recovery, know it could be that one relapse that could be your last.

Sam always had demons from a rough childhood that haunted him and left him feeling like he would never be good enough. We had so many long talks about it and he would always tell me about the pain he felt. When he turned to drugs to numb the pain, things just spiraled. Sam and I used together and then got clean together, time after time. When I got the phone call he was gone and he had overdosed while living in California attendingrRehab, my world was flipped upside down. Losing him almost killed me but with him as my guardian angel, he got me through and 11 years later I am still clean and have a beautiful daughter. I owe that all to him. He saved me from myself and made me wake up and want to do better for him and his grandmother and my own family. There is not a day that goes by that I don't miss his contagious laugh. He would do anything and everything to make people laugh. He was an amazing man, best friend, and brother to so many people. I know he is smiling down, and always with his few close friends that made it out of the disease of addiction.

Brittany was someone who lit up a room from the second she walked in. Her love of life radiated from her. Everyone who knew her, knew how stubborn she could be but they also knew that she would drop everything in a second if they needed her. My only hope is that through the haze of addiction, she knew just how loved she was. She was truly special and the world will not be the same without her in it. In her honor, we will help break the stigma of addiction and offer hope to those who feel lost. We love you, Britty!!

There were two different brothers I knew, one before addiction and the one after. Before his addiction, he was a funny, athletic guy that loved hanging with his friends and family. After addiction, he was moody and not present. These drugs took him over so fast I can't really pinpoint when this all started for him. He was a very private person who didn't share a lot. We had to almost pry it out of him. My sister could get things out of him sometimes but it took awhile so we do not know for sure when he started using. All I know is it was fast and then it was over. He could never admit he had a problem but all of his problems were caused by the addiction to Xanax and Oxycontin. He never got treatment for his addiction because in his head he didn't have a problem. He felt things so hard I think that's what drew him to those drugs. He unfortunately lost his short battle on 1/20/13 at a friends house. They found him in the basement, he died in his sleep after his friend went to bed upstairs. I wish they had found him sooner to either save his life or donate his organs so he could have lived in some way. He had so many friends and family that cared for him. I think what I miss most is the little things like what he would be doing right now and when I would call him he wouldn't say anything he would breath into the phone, which always made me laugh. I will never forget you little brother. I hope you found peace finally.

Michael "MAF" Fennig was an amazing person and had a way of infecting you with his personality. He was quiet yet funny, serious yet witty, smart and cunning; always supportive & reassuring. A friend to all – and a lifelong friend to many. He was very athletic; he swam, played soccer & lacrosse through high school. When the family got a vacation home in Deep Creek, his attention turned to snowboarding in the winter and wakeboarding in the summer. Mike loved the color red, animals of all kinds, sleeping in late and going to bed late, selfies, the gym, working hard, the Green Bay Packers, the WVU Mountaineers, Chipotle, Vans shoes and most importantly, his family and friends. Mike decided in his mid 20s that he wanted to pursue his career goal of being in the insurance industry. On his own, he sought out local employers and met his goal: He landed a job as a Senior Claims Representative at a large national carrier. With the job, he was able to get an apartment, pay his bills/debts and, as he would say, become a contributing member of society.

About Mike's Struggle with Addiction:
Mike battled addiction for seven years. His addiction stemmed from a dual diagnosis of ADHD and anxiety. He struggled with substance abuse of opioids and heroin during this time. He had first asked for help in 2012 after he had a breakdown to his father and knew he had to change his life. He was in and out of rehabs and lived in multiple recovery houses. He had highs and lows: periods of sobriety mixed with periods of use. He was a pillar of support for his friends of similar struggles. Some of his friends have admitted that they are alive today because of Mike's help. He felt a constant need to be "normal" and thought he could manage this struggle on his own. He lost his struggle at age 27 after a period of relapse.

What will we miss the most?
We miss everything - just being with you. There will always be a void in our hearts. We know he will always be by our sides and we continuously keep his memory alive in our daily actions and encounters with friends and family.
From his parents: We will miss your infectious presence, our shared love of Green Bay Packers, Orioles baseball and all WVU sports, talking every day and saying "I'm ok! Don't worry about me!".
From his sister: He was my other half. I miss our venting sessions, gym & chipotle dates, and meal prep Sundays. I miss your hilarious Snapchats and your unique social media strategy. I miss you every day, but know I have a pretty awesome guardian angel. #fennstarforever

We love you always, Mike.

My daughter was so beautiful. I miss her smile. I would do anything to trade places with her. My life will never be the same. I wear her clothes and her makeup as it makes me feel closer to her. Although I know it makes her mad. I love you Diana, I love you more than words can say. I want you back. I need you in my life.