Kristina was a straight “A” student who loved cheerleading, dancing and gymnastics. Life was wonderful with her parents and older sister, Michelle, until she turned 15 and was introduced to heroin by her boyfriend. From that time, her life was a struggle to stay clean. Everything seemed to be going well in January 2022, when she had a relapse. When called to her parent’s home, Michelle describes how the paramedics only saw an addict, branded her a junkie and did not try to save her. In her quest to make a difference in the name of her sister, Michelle would like to break the stigma of how addicts are viewed and treated by society.

Michelle’s words, “Society has labeled drug addicts as criminals, worthless degenerates, and second-class citizens. Addicts are harshly discriminated against, seen as less than human, considered worthless at first glance. This country needs to understand that addicts are still PEOPLE! Their lives are no less valuable because they suffer from addiction! If more effort was focused on jailing the drug dealers, policing our borders, and helping those suffering from addiction, perhaps real change could be affected. Rehabilitation over incarceration, now that’s a lovely thought!

“How many millions of lives are sacrificed each year that never had a chance? For an addict the struggle against addiction is akin to fighting a war alone and without any weapons against a superpower. For many like my sister, their addiction started before they were an adult. A naive, immature, impressionable teenager who made a mistake, a mistake that triggered a powerful addiction that began a lifelong battle.”

If you would like to tell your story about an overdose death, please contact Susan Claire at [email protected]

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