Frankie was the third-born of triplets, arriving after his two sisters. His mother, Ellen, recalls his early years as charmed—filled with joyful vacations, engaging activities, and an infectious sense of humor. Frankie was the smallest kid with the biggest laugh, known for his wild jokes, imaginative stories, and a vocabulary all his own. As he entered middle school, challenges emerged. Being the smallest in his class and diagnosed with ADHD, Frankie began to struggle. Depression followed, leading him to self-medicate. Tragically, his life ended at age 26 in October 2022 due to an overdose of cocaine laced with fentanyl. Ellen now speaks to groups about Frankie's life, hoping to reach even one young person who might be considering drugs as a way to cope. Her mission is to transform heartbreak into hope, one story at a time.

Ellen shares some resources below:

· Helping Parent Heal – helpingparentsheal.org. There is also a Facebook page. They have several Zoom meetings and have a semiannual meeting with over 1000 parents.

· Fara Gibson, Psychic Medium (saved my life!) – faragibson.com. She also has a Facebook Page, Fara Gibson Psychic Medium. She does readings in person, over Zoom or by phone.

· The Black Poster Project – theblackposterproject.com This is a silent memorial of over 900 posters. Submitting your loved one's poster is at no charge.

· Alumni in Recovery – https://alumniinrecovery.org An advocacy group made up of young adults in extended recovery and parents who have lost a child to addiction/accidental overdose/fentanyl poisoning.

· World-renowned speaker David Keller – https://grief.com/ David is the father of grief and has written many books and holds many webinars.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at grievingoverdosedeath@gmail.com

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

Johnna was a fearless and capable child, but a learning disability diagnosis seemed to mark the beginning of her struggles. Her mother, Kelli, believes this led to self-esteem issues, which were worsened by incidents like being bullied in school and the loss of loved ones. These painful experiences contributed to a lifelong dependence on drugs—an addiction Johnna fiercely protected. As a nurse, Kelli used all of her resources to help. She consistently arranged for counselors and rehab centers and was always there for her daughter in a crisis. Despite her tireless efforts, Kelli's worst fear was realized in July 2024 when police arrived at her door with the news that Johnna had died at the age of 25. To cope with her grief, Kelli finds solace in listening to podcasts about loss, reading books like A Space in the Heart by Larry Carlat, and leaning on her strong relationships with family and friends.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at grievingoverdosedeath@gmail.com

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida

While working for the railroad, Matt had a bad accident that injured his spine. After spinal surgery, he was prescribed opioids that eventually led to his addiction. His daughter, Heather, talks about her loving relationship with her dad and how she is broken hearted to have lost him in October 2022. Heather tells others not to blame themselves for what happened and to recognize they did what they could.

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at grievingoverdosedeath@gmail.com

http://grievingoverdosedeath.libsyn.com/

Music provided by La Atlántida