- Drugs
Every parent’s worst fear became a reality for us on Thursday, December 20, 2012. The call that I feared would come in the middle of the night actually came at 2:50 in the afternoon. My husband called me to say that our son, who had recently completed his first official detox and rehabilitation, had relapsed and overdosed. This was the first time that he overdosed and it would be his last.
Tyler, who grew up as the youngest child in the family, was witty and funny. He was intelligent and he was athletic. But mostly, he was kind, affectionate and caring. When we got to the hospital, we saw him lying in a bed with tubes and machines attached to him. He looked as though he could just wake up any moment. However, the neurologist told us that he had a “life ending brain injury” and probably wouldn’t make it through the night. How could someone who still looked so good be so close to death? How could we ever go on living without this beautiful, loving son of ours? I could still feel the sincere hug that he had given me on Sunday night. We couldn’t begin to imagine our world without him.
Tyler had always wanted a puppy so his sister talked us into finally getting him one since he was doing so well. On Christmas of 2011, for the first time ever, we truly surprised him when he was told about the miniature golden doodle puppy that was going to be his! He was thrilled and stated, “This is the best Christmas EVER!”
Tyler died on December 23, 2012, which happened to be his sister’s 28th birthday. They loved each other so much and will forever be connected to a date that had previously held only fond memories. On Christmas morning 2012, we got a phone call from the “Gift of Life” team. Tyler had saved three lives. A man in his 30s now lives with his heart and his liver, a woman in her 50s lives with one of his kidneys and a man in his 20s lives with his other kidney.
Even with the heartache that his dad and I, along with the other people who loved him, suffered, we would do it all over again just to have another 24 years with such a great young man. Our life will never be the same. Family events and pictures will never be complete. He remains with us in our hearts and minds as we work on our own addiction foundation, educating young people about the dangers of alcohol and drugs and working with others who are in recovery by providing them hope and assistance. One day, we pray that this reality will be easier to accept. And hopefully, Tyler’s three recipient organ families had the “best Christmas ever!”