Roger Donald Runkel

smile and laugh and cry

My brother was told all his life he would be a drunk just like his dad, who also died of alcohol and pill addiction. In his teenage years, he starting living the life he was told he would live. Met a girl who was also a drunk and had two beautiful girls. Got custody. And struggles every step of the way so now no way to get job. My baby brother had a major heart attack in a car on a frozen night in a suburb of Chicago. The coroner said heroin was also in his system. He was alone. You know you expect to lose a parent but not a brother. And his children went to strangers because I did not live in that state. It has caused me so much bitterness in my life toward a lot of things. The system is no help but most of all the person does not have the willpower to just stop. Now my daughter is a heroin addict. Got clean and started over. I truly believe people like that do not want help. And I am sure I am wrong but so many programs taking advantage of them so what can family do. Nothing. But wait for the phone call.

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