WAKE UP, ONCE AND FOR ALL: DRUGS ARE KILLERS

On May 20, 2005, my husband and I received the dreaded late night
call ... the halfway house our son was staying at called to say they
had found him dead in bed of a heroin overdose.

Our wonderful, loving son struggled with this chronic, progressive,
incurable disease for the last five years of his life. But he lost his
battle on that day.

His struggles are over, but ours are just beginning.

Wake up Cincinnati; wake up America. What do you think is causing all
of these shootings? What do you think is causing your jails to be
busting at the seams? What do you think is causing all of these
break-ins, drive-by shootings, robberies and crazy automobile
accidents? What do you think is causing these innocent children being
killed in crossfire?

Drugs, drug pushers, drug addicts, greed and corruption amongst
some.

I remember one time Chad was living at another halfway house on upper
Vine Street and working downtown. I bought him a bus pass so he could
get back and forth to work. He called me one night, very upset,
saying, "Mom, I missed my stop, I fell asleep on the bus and had to
get off at another stop, I was scared to death, I ran all the way
home." At the time I laughed at the thought ... I no longer laugh at
the thought, because I now know that the reason he was scared was
because the drug pushers (leeches that they are) were trying to get my
boy to buy drugs. No, I no longer laugh; now I cry at the thought.

There is an old saying, "If you're not part of the solution, you're
part of the problem."

If you see wrong being done, drug deals going down, people being shot
and you say nothing, you are part of the problem and you have blood on
your hands.

Most people in power are good and decent people, many putting their
lives on the line daily for our sake.

Most doctors and nurses are good and decent people, who work hard to
get a good education, with much sacrifice. They, too, often put their
lives on the line for our sake, but there are some (a small minority)
who need to be weeded out.

If you are in a position of power (public servant, etc.) and you are
fed up, burned out, overwhelmed and are taking the attitude "If you
can't beat 'em, join 'em" and see nothing wrong with taking a little
money to keep your mouth shut - you are part of the problem and you
have blood on your hands.

If you are a doctor and are financially struggling because of the
changes in Medicare and the high cost of malpractice insurance and you
decide a way to get ahead is to overprescribe controlled medication to
those in relatively minor pain to those who ask for it - or worse yet,
if you have the God complex and think you can do it, and so you do,
when deep down inside you know it's wrong and you are hurting people -
you are part of the problem and you have blood on your hands.

If you are a drug dealer and are selling this cunning devil candy to
sick people and getting young children to do your dirty work (because
they won't get as stiff a sentence as an adult), all for the sake of
the almighty dollar, you are part of the problem and you have blood on
your hands.

If you are a drug addict and refuse to accept the help you know you so
desperately need, you are part of the problem.

Drug addicts don't want to be drug addicts; they made a terrible
mistake, and crossed the line, but who amongst us has not made a
mistake in our life? The difference is their mistake can cost them
their life.

Drug addicts are sick, and without the drug they are in the pit of
hell, a state of depression few of us can comprehend.

Our family set up the Foxfire Foundation after Chad died, dedicated to
changing hearts (teaching others that drug addiction is a disease) and
saving lives (by speaking to our youth and supporting anyone
attempting to get off drugs.)

My husband has produced an educational packet, which includes five
videos. I have spoken to hundreds of schoolchildren and will be
speaking to more soon. I also had two billboards placed in
Over-the-Rhine and will have 10 more placed soon.

Our son was a wonderful son; he used to call me each week and tell me
how he was doing; he would always say, "Mom, I just want to be normal;
I just want to be normal ..." and would always end by saying, "I love
you Mom."

Well I love you, Chad, and I will fight the good fight and stand up to
this evil that is blanketing our city and our nation. I for one will
be part of the solution.

Will you?