I went to high-school with him. He was my husband’s cousin. We used to laugh and watch him run up and down the road practicing to be the star track leader. He was an awesome drummer player too, was even in a band. It all started with a back injury at work when we were in our twenties that was being treated with Lortab that led to heroin, then death. Him and his wife both were outstanding parents before the injury. To think back on all those year’s of watching what the pills then harder stuff did to them is unbearable to try to comprehend. They lost their job’s, their kid’s, their home and even their lives to drug’s. Even through it all they were still some of the best friends I ever knew. They were just young and made poor choices with drinking beer and taking pain pills and it quickly got out of hand and turned into a life-long problem. As I seen happen to many of our friends. Most of them are now dead. I was complaining about something once and he said you think God for the thing’s that didn’t happen. He was absolutely right so I did just that. There children are now young adults about the same age as our two older adult children and a couple year’s ago at one of our local churches I seen their son get up and read scripture and preach. To know what that 19 year old has been through tells me one thing for sure. We’ve all got a purpose in this life and he’s one tough soldier! Just thought it was worth a share in memory of our friends that we lost. I wanted to make a note of it. Thank you 
I will tonight take a minute to wish well to those we’ve lost and for those still unfortunately suffering. Hugs to you and your loss
I’m so sorry for your loss. I understand how horrible it is to lose somebody to addiction. I lost my fiancé in 2019 to a fentanyl overdose. It’s always the people with the kindest hearts and biggest personalities. I’ll be praying for you and your loved ones tonight 
Thank you. Yes there’s been far too many.
Thank you. So sorry for your loss as well. Yes it’s awful to see them go out like that.
I’m so sorry for your loss. It sounds like he was a great guy battling a horrible addiction. I’ll say an extra prayer for him (and you) tonight.
What happened to him could have easily happened to me, my husband or many of our friends. Like your friend, I started taking pain pills due to an injury that sent me down a dark road. Thankfully, I found recovery before I got into heroin, but I was very close (did H a few times when I couldn’t get pills). I often wonder why I was able to get help before it was too late when thousands are still out there suffering and dying.
It makes me happy to hear you didn’t alienate your friend when addiction took over his life. Your love for him will never die.
Thank you so much Lisa and thank goodness you we’re able to get help. Thank goodness I was too. It most definitely could happen to anybody and that’s the sad part. It just got too far out of hand and he just got out of rehab again so I know he had to be fighting too. I could never alienate him or anyone struggling like that. Probably because I understand their struggle too. Same thing happened to my little sister. Auto accident and Lortab led to Fentanol. I’m really not sure if I could have overcome what he was mixed up on or not. Glad I don’t have to. My husband does not cry but after he found out about him passing he went to the bathroom and looked like he had been. Just really sad. He said even if I wanted to drink a beer there’s nobody left for us to drink with because everyone is dead. I gave him a quart of ice water and reminded him we’re getting too old for that anyways. I want him around as long as I can keep him.
Awe! What a loving couple. Glad you have each other to get through this grief.
Yes we’re going to keep riding this sober storm out together unless of course he falls off the wagon… If that goes down I’m going to leave him laying there and keep on trucking lol 
thank you again
I feel the same way. My husband and I love each other more now that we’re sober, but he knows if he falls off the wagon, I’ll be careful not to trip over his drunk ass on my way out the door. 
He said he’ll do the same if I fall. For now, we’ll keep truckin together.
Yessss lol
I am so sorry. Tragic. Such a loss. There’s a thread here somewhere that’s a “memory thread”.
Thanking about you during this time of heartache and sorrow.
Thank you so much! I’ll check that out.
My condolences. It’s a horrible loss. We lost many friends due to similar circumstances. My husband is a drummer and in our small(ish) hometown so many musicians were lost to heroin addiction. One in particular started just as you describe with a pain med prescription after an injury. Unfortunately for all of us we lived in a drug corridor between Detroit and Chicago. Drugs were easy to come by, and H was a big big problem. Several of our friends became addicted, kicked the habit but then wanted one “last” hit and that’s what killed them. This was early days of fentanyl so who knows if their supply had it in there, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Regardless, all these people dying is the saddest thing I’ve experienced in my life and seeing the wreckage left behind is just tragic. A small gift is that none of them had children. Anyway, I am very sorry for your loss and I hope you find comfort in your own health and recovery through it all. Sending my love.
Thank you so much Rosa. I’m sorry for the loss of your friends too. Yes I think thats what might have happened to him. He was in rehab but that one last hit took him out. I know he had to be trying till the end. Just really sad to see so many wonderful people struggling like that and losing their battle.
So sad! Such smart and talented individuals and their plight is so mighty. Tragic. I didn’t want to get into details too much, but when your father finds you dead from an OD that’s the wreckage I’m talking about. His fiancé was doing so well for a while but she was gone within a year. His former band mate also seemed to be on the up and up but then a couple years later, same deal. That “one last hit” is a scary thought. It really is the last. Terribly sad.
Oh my goodness. Yes is sure is. I had some dental work done and they tried putting me on Lortab and I flat out refused after I seen where it ended up leading so many of our friends and family. I said I’ll take some Ibuprofen please. I know me and that could have definitely happened to me too if I would have been in their situation. I’ve struggled with other drugs and alcohol and I guess some part of me knew me to well.
I am the same! I was given Tramadol and I had to dispose of it because it scared me too much. I’d much rather use ibuprofen and ice packs!
Yes I don’t blame you one bit. One thing about it we will have to be very careful if we are ever seriously injured and left with few choices to treat our pain. I think that in the cases of many of our friends and relatives back 20 to 30 year’s ago there wasn’t as much emphasis put on how addictive those pills really are and perhaps it was hard for them to even make good choices already being under the influence. And it literally wreck their lives.
I’m so sorry.