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

My son Garrett was only 19 when he was taken from me. Garrett had always struggled growing up due to learning disabilities. When he turned 18 his so-called friends learned he was receiving a check from SSI and took advantage of him. And Garrett was very gullible. They let him crash at their house filled with drugs and alcohol until his money ran out. Then it was back to my house. Which I didn't mind as I knew he was safe with me.
This pattern repeated itself for months. Until one day, that day my life as I know it changed forever...I found my son Garrett unconscious on our couch. I don't even know why I pulled back the blanket he had over him. I was cleaning in the other room and was walking through the living room to go to the bathroom. And for some reason, I pulled back the blanket from him and couldn't wake him up. I shook him and shook him. Screamed for my husband my husband and did CPR until paramedics arrived. My son Garrett didn't make it. I refuse to say he d**d. The coroner said he had fentanyl and percocet and spice that was soaked in rubbing alcohol. Who does that?? And other toxins like xanax and suboxone in his system. This he got from his great friends that only had anything to do with him around the third of the month when his SSI check came in.

I miss his face his voice and everything about him. His illness took him from his family that loved him so much.

Hayley was always a loving child. She had many friends, was outgoing, spoke her mind, and was very close to her family.
She Played many instruments in the high school marching band. Hayley graduated with her cosmetology license. She tried to make a career for herself, but couldn't build a clientele.

Jeremy is the youngest of four children. He passed on February 1, 2015. My world stopped turning that evening. He was 29 years old. Jeremy died here in his room. Jeremy is my baby and the child who lived with me pretty much his whole life. The others long moved out and he was still with me. We were very close. He is my heart. His whole face lit up with his smile.

As a child and adolescent his sport was baseball. Sometimes a catcher, sometimes a pitcher. As he grew, he loved riding dirt bikes and ATVs.

Jeremy left a young son behind who was just 12 when he passed. Jayden is the spitting image of his dad. Jayden's16 now. His sport is football. Luckily his dad got to watch him play plenty since he started at seven. I just wish Jeremy could see the young man he's grown into and see him playing high school football.
Jeremy was a gentle, loving, and kind person. He was a very helpful person. He'd give anyone a hand. When I had back problems he'd come downstairs every morning at 7:00 to put on my socks and shoes for work. Every morning, till the day of his death, he'd peek into my room and when my eyes were open would say, "Mama, you want me to bring you coffee?" He once spotted an elderly gentleman struggling to carry his packages so he ran over to carry them the 3/4 of a mile up the hill to his home. He did that once
 or twice a week for several years including the week he passed.

The world is a darker place without my loving son Jeremy.

Johnny ... we will be together again!
A family as strong as ours will be forever together!
A love as strong as ours will be forever!
Our hearts are bonded together forever!
We’ll stay strong ... always and forever together!
Love you💙💙💙

Cody was my only child. He was the sunshine in my day. He took his own life when his newly born son was ripped from him. Depression...PTSD...and other demons he delt with got to be too much. At 230 A.M Dec.22 my husband and I found our baby and I held him up as his father cut him down. We were lost. I mean what do you do when the soul reason you get up in the morning is gone. I feel he watched our pain and I know he didn't mean to hurt us and he loves us because one month after he left us my husband and I got custody of our grandson, who is now three years old and the light of our life.

Joseph was so smart and full of life. He loved muscle cars and his 04 Mach 1. He had such a huge heart. His “friend” brought pure fentanyl to a party Joseph had and talked him into trying (great “friend” huh)!!! My son never woke up the next day. My 16 year old found his brother in his bed passed away 9/1/18. Joseph was his nephew Westyn’s best friend. He’s only five and struggles so hard not having his Uncle Joe Joe. We all love and miss Joseph so so much. Our hearts are forever broken.

My daughter was a kind, caring individual who would give anything to make others happy, even though she battled depression herself. I miss her with all my heart and will never forget the person she was before addiction took her away from us. She was a loving mother of three beautiful girls. She lost her battle with addiction after an on and off struggle of about eight years. She is sadly missed by her children, sister, mother, and father.

My brother struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for 25 years. I chased him all over the country trying to help him break the cycle, clean up the messes he made, and keep him alive. He was the most intelligent person I ever met. He was fun and ingenious. He was my first best friend. After many months in the hospital from a near fatal alcohol and drug overdose, he managed to make 90 days sober. He relapsed late fall 2016. On January 3 of 2017, he had a weak moment from the sheer exhaustion of dealing with addiction and took his own life in front of my parents and I. The only justification I can make out of the whole situation is he died in my arms and not some filthy alley somewhere. My heart aches for him everyday. He used to quiet the demons in his head. He had struggled with mental illness since we were children. There’s a void where a once vibrant man stood. It will forever be open. I will never forget you Sean. My love for you runs deeper then the deepest seas. I will always have your back, until the day I take my last breath. I will also never forget your laugh. As much as the sounds from the night we lost you ring through my head, so does your laugh....

Daughter, sister, aunt, mother. Megan was loving and kind and never judged anyone. Megan had so many beautiful qualities. Addiction stole this beautiful soul from us. I miss you more than I could ever express Megan Marie.....I LOVE YOU MORE ❤

Derrick was very humorous. He always had everyone laughing that fall to the floor, tears in your eyes, kind of laugh. The best daddy. Our kids miss him so much. Derrick struggled with addiction for about 10 years. His struggle is now over. I miss him more than words could ever say.

Scott was a warm and loving son. He struggled with drugs for many years and died as a result of drugs.

Me and my brother Greg weren't always "close" growing up.
We spent more time teasing each other or beating the hell out of each other, and making life hell for our parents & our neighborhood babysitters.
Greg moved in with me and my 2 young daughters when he was 15 and we were thick as thieves from that point on, until the morning I found him on my bathroom floor. Gone. From a heroin overdose after 7 months clean.
I never thought my heart could literally hurt, & losing my best friend has forever changed my entire life and it has & never ever will be right without him.
Me & my brother were a team for decades. We lived together as adults. We raised our children together. We raised each other at times. We always had each other's backs. Regardless of our life choices .
Greg BATTLED Heroin addiction for 13 years. He served 3 years in prison, paid his dues to society, and found God.
His heart was bigger than he was, & why, almost 2 years later, can I not get over that?
My life's been on auto pilot. Smile. Nod. Laugh. But deep inside my gut, I lost a piece of my past and my future losing him.
I will never ever forget how much I love him, and am thankful for the bestest friend, crazy funny, brother sister bond we had.
The one thing we all think we have is time..
You never know.

My son Robert was loving, caring person who helped everyone and anyone. He entered the hospital on March 17th from an overdose...3 1/2 weeks. Doctors said he is strong and had a 50/50 chance. My heart is forever broken. I miss him so much. Forever 26....

#nbk

My bestfriend overdosed on fentanyl and Xanax on Saint Patricks Day 2014. She was only 35 and she was an awesome person. She left behind a son, Joshua, and many loved ones. I will always remember her. I love you, Deb.

My mom lived an interesting life. She was the best mom she thought she could be as she was going thourgh her struggles in life. She was one very strong lady with a mouth to go with it. However, nothing could be bigger then her heart. She had such strong love for her grandchildren. She cleared up things that she was working on through her struggle with cancer. She left us with a strong legacy that she was one awesome, beautiful, smart, kind individual that would give you the shirt off of her back. She was a daughter, sister, mother, aunt, cousin, sister-in-law, and best grandma & great grandma ever.

My Chelsey Marie Gallien, my choy, my love, you were too young and you were too beautiful. I wish you never had left. You were an incredible, talented young woman who had so much to live for still, and it was taken way too early. Too beautiful, too loved. Such a tragedy for all. We all love you so very much my love. You forever will be missed -1/14/90-11/18/08

I miss the sound of his voice, the warmth of his presence, the safety in his embrace.
My husband lost his life to an addiction he hated. He was a beautiful person loved by many. I wish every day for the chance to show him again how much he means to me. We have two beautiful boys, one whom he never got to meet. They are my treasures, little pieces of him. 💜💜 Our lives will never be the same without him.

My Mom and Dad meant the world to me. They were awesome parents and I miss them, but will see them again someday.