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

My mother was one of the strongest, kindest, most loving people I've ever met. Most notably, she never believed in loving people because they "earned" or "deserved" love, rather, she believed in loving people because she knew they needed to be loved.

Valerie was loved by every person that met her. She had a personality that brightened every room she entered. Valerie was beautiful inside and out. Her friends were her family that she loved and would do anything to help.

Hearing her voice, her laughter and her saying, "I love you Mom."

The life of the party and loved...so very loved.

She had a fiery spirit that was full of energy.

My favorite memory was dancing and jamming to our favorite ‘90’s songs either in the car or at home in the living room. She had a huge radio system she would blast music through.

I will miss seeing her smile and laugh.

I would like others to remember Judy through the laughter and smiles she brought them.

They way he made us all laugh.

His funny personality.

Before his drug addiction.

My little brother Travis... he always made me laugh...we didn't grow up together but the universe made us have the most amazing, strongest, craziness bond ever! Out of all my siblings he was my favorite and still is! Its been 7 years today and I still miss him as if he just went to heaven. I dont have too many memories with him due to distance and addiction...but any and every memory I have I hold the closest to my heart! I love and miss my brother so much...the pain never goes away! RIP w/love.

My brother was my hero. We survived a crazy childhood and even adulthood. He stepped up to be the father figure for my kids. The bond he had with our mom will always fill my heart.

He was on crutches for a few months and seeing him dance with them always makes me laugh.

His voice! He drove us crazy, but we could never stay mad at him.

Monte was up for anything! My mother and I never plan anything. So when we say let’s go do this, he was always ready to go

Travis was handsome, brilliant and funny with beautiful eyes and a great smile.

He built a whole city in legos on his bedroom floor one summer, complete with all the usual buildings, police cars, traffic and an airport. I couldn’t vacuum his room for months. I thought he was so clever!

We miss everything about him. He is loved.

As the loving, caring, wonderful son, brother and friend he was - ready to help anyone who needed him.

Eric was an easy going, funny, smart, likable, gorgeous, artistic, cocky, crazy, fun to be around guy who adored his 2 daughters more than anything, loved meeting new people, partying, listening to music, playing video games.

There are too many to list. We lived together for a couple years. He was my BFF & Brother. I will miss him dearly. I still can't believe he isnt here. 😭💔

His gorgeous blue eyes, beautiful smile, annoying habits, crazy behaviours, munipulative mind games, distructive lifestyle, impulsive moves, attitude, perverted jokes, quick Witt, and most of all, the way he knew me better than any one else, even myself.
I miss my Soul Twin Dearly💔

As a good looking-smart ass who did what he wanted, when he wanted, wherever and he had the ability to convince or manipulate anyone into anything he wanted and was damn great at it and used this as his gift and weapon. He strived to be the best Dad he was capable of to his 2 daughters and loved being a full time dad. He would want them to know he tried & did the best he could. He is sorry he couldn't get better. He loves those girls more than anything. 💔

Alex would like to be remembered as someone who cared about helping others. She was convinced that God allowed this terrible disease to happen to her so that she would be able to use the experience to help others. She was an intelligent, gifted, spiritual woman, with a child's loving and trusting heart. She was a loyal friend and family meant the world to her. She loved making people laugh and she enjoyed life to the fullest degree.

Beautiful,kind,intelligent Jody wanted the best for everyone. She loved her family,especially her children. She tried to find lasting recovery but stigma and shame would throw up roadblocks. I deeply regret that I didn't know then what I know now.

How much she desired connection with her family and how much she wanted to do better, be better, for her children. Her generous kind spirit, her strength.

I am going to miss seeing Jody in longterm recovery and all she would have become. Things are starting to shift around Harm Reduction and people can survive and live better lives if we open our minds and hearts. I'm going to miss getting to know her better and bonding with her and developing a closer relationship based on all I've learned on my journey of educating myself and advocacy/support for people who use drugs, those in recovery and anyone impacted by Substance Use Disorder.

First and foremost as a loving, concerned Mom... also as a person who cared about others and was compassionate, who was truly sorry for any harm she may have caused anyone and as a person who believed in and loved God. She would want people to educate themselves so they could understand the disease that she struggled with and ultimately took her life and they could then KNOW that it wasn't because she didn't try hard enough, didn't care enough, didn't love them enough, it was the disease.

He was always so happy so full of life and just loved family.

The way he would always play jokes on everyone and thought it was sooo funny.

His laugh and his hugs.

As someone that loved family and loved when we all got together and would get along and laugh together

Dale was my younger brother who put everyone above himself. He never had children of his own but was active helping other kids including ones he never met. Dale was one of the three brothers I had and the last to leave our world. My heart is forever broken.

My favorite memory of him was telling me he loved me.

I will miss talking to him. I will miss seeing him at family get togethers.

Dale would like to be remembered as someone who tried to make a difference in someone's life.

Tiffany struggled with alcoholism for many years. Though she was in a constant struggle with the disease, her passion did not dwindle and her sober times made us extremely proud of her fight.

Her organizing her sisters and cousins to put on shows for us. She remembered everything about her childhood and was known for her love of all things Disney.

She was a fighter, and she fought alcoholism and we witnessed her take the disease head on and even overcame it time and time again. She continued to fight in what became an unbeatable battle that eventually took her short life at age 34. We find comfort in knowing she is no longer struggling and is at peace, but know this fight continues for so many. However, we miss the "hope" for her to win the battle as that is no longer an option.

Tiffany loved dancing, softball, cheerleading, swimming and water. She loved the warm sand cool waves in Nags head and Ocean City where she had countless memories with her sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Nick was a funny outgoing person who always lit up the room. We had to beautiful baby girls who were is everything. They were only 1 1/2 and 6 months old when he died. He was an amazing father for the very short time he got to be one

He was always cracking jokes and trying to make people laugh

Watching him be a father, his cooking and most of all the love he had for our family

He was a one of a kind person. He always made people laugh and he loved his 3 sisters more than this world! He was Magoo to my family!

Every Halloween, Birthday party, and summer breaks

EVERYTHING

As a loving, funny, and kind hearted person

John was a all of energy from day one, we fought like crazy… but loved even harder… we were all one another had. I am lost without my brother

When John locked me in the trunk our mom has in the living room
And FINALLY he got in trouble!!

His dedication, his deep rooted knowledge of right from wrong, good from bad… that’s what made it so difficult for John to recover..without professional support he felt to much pain

As the smart, multi talented, handsome, funny, slightly controlling man he was.

my brother was the most caring and kindest guy u would ever known. His contagious laugh would make you smile no matter what kind of day you were having. He was my little bro and will be missed and loved forever♡

I have sooo many but just recently last summer we took a ride to Hubbard Park and parked on side of the bridge for like 3 hours we talked,laughed and cried that day. I am so grateful for that memory.

His laugh and the only one who ever called me jenny.

He was a loving and positive soul. He fought his addiction every single day wether he was clean or using. He hated this drug and I know he is now at peace.

He was amazingly smart, funny, caring, insightful and unique. I will miss him always.

He had a girlfriend in high school that I just didn’t like and it dawned on me, for the first time, that I may not like or get along with whoever he married. I shared that thought with him…and he responded “but Mom, don’t you think if I love them you’ll love them too?” I told him I had always thought that would be so but I just I didn’t love “Brooke” his current girlfriend….he lit up with a huge grin and replied “me neither!”

His humor and his hugs.

As kind and generous.