The National Addiction Memorial honors the loved ones we’ve lost.

Aaron passed away unexpectedly on Friday, January 13, 2017, just 11 days before his 43rd birthday. He was a gentle giant in many ways. He was always good for a hug or a laugh, whichever was needed.

Aaron was a talented tile setter who helped out those who needed it at any time. He worked hard each day even when addiction seemed to be the commander.

His children were the highlight of his life and what he lived for each day. His gentle spirit was comforting to them as small children and his fun loving side appealed to his older children. He is greatly missed.

We miss Collins laugh. His smile. His ability to light up a room when he entered it. He always gave, he fought for the little guy, the underdog! Heroin stole all of that from him before it stole his life! His laughter would cheer up even your darkest days. His smile would drown out all the bad In the world. Everyone who knew Collin could count on him, no matter what! Even those who weren't close to him, if he could help, he would. He was a hard worker, a good provider to his fianceé and her daughter. He left this world not knowing he was to be a father. He would have made a wonderful Daddy! Heroin stole that! If he had been given the chance, he would made a different choice now. Worked harder to stay clean and be the father he didn't have. Heroin stole that second chance. I'll never let them forget his light, his love, his story, his life! I'll carry him with me wherever I go spreading love, light, and courage in his name as long as I have breathe left in me.
We love you Collin. Forevermore

My mother battled addiction for a long time but when she was around, she had a smile that could brighten a room, a heart of gold, and she had a sense of humor that could make you laugh against your efforts not to laugh. She cared and loved deeply, and should be remembered as such.

I miss Kelsey's sense of humor. I miss her phone calls and how she would jump into my arms when I would visit her. I miss how she would sit next to me and lay her head on my shoulder. I still feel that sometimes and incline my head back to where hers was. Kelsey had the most incredible smile that would light up in her eyes and light up the room.

Kelsey was my youngest, her brother and sister were 12 and 10 years older. But they loved Kelsey and she idolized them so there was not an estranged gap between the siblings. She had many friends and loved her family and extended family. There is a hole in our hearts because she is no longer with us, but we still feel her presence in unique signs that only she and her loved ones would be aware of. That is a consolation when the pain becomes unbearable.

Peggy Jo McCracken was a very beautiful, strong, outgoing person and she loved everyone. She had a heart of gold. She got messed up with a bad group of friends who started using drugs and she struggled for years fighting this battle. She said she had to fight this so she took her two beautiful kids and left town. She started working and seemed to have beat it. She was drug free for a year then had to come back home for personal reasons. She went to a bar that night, where her drink was spiked by someone who then took her back to his place. She was yelling for help but no one came. How sick can people be. When we heard the next day on the scanner there was a DOA found, I froze and had the worst things going through my head. I then grab Peggy's and my kids and head that way. I went up to the officer told him my aunt Peggy Jo McCracken was missing and explain what she looks like. The officer looks at me and says that I need to stay here, and I started screaming. I knew it was her by the way the officer was talking. After five hours of being there the officer says we need u at headquarters please. I then find out my aunt Peggy was murdered. I then went nuts and had to be held down. I want answers. Peggy had such a good heart and loved everyone and worked her butt off. She would never hurt a fly. I feel justice was not served. Prison is to easy but my aunt Peggy Jo's life was taken way too soon. Her babies lost their mother, I lost my aunt, her brothers and sister lost their baby sister. Does he understand what he has done to our family? Her kids most of all don't deserve this and her beautiful granddaughter that she does not get to meet. Peggy would ave loved her so much R.i.p Peggy Jo McCracken love u and miss u so much I know u are watching over your babies and us.

I miss everything about my son, David. His smile, his witty comments, his stories, his laughter. I miss him trying to share his taste of music with me and his despair at my own musical tastes, I miss holding him and kissing him and sitting on his bed with him to watch his programs. I miss talking to him about everything from history to religion. I miss seeing him sitting on the porch smoking his cigarette while scrolling through the latest news bulletins on his phone. I miss watching him grow older.

David absolutely loved music festivals. He devoured books by the thousands, particularly science fiction books and was an avid writer of short stories and poetry.

David battled anxiety and depression for years but his addiction to opioids began when he was prescribed pain medication after he had his wisdom teeth removed. He was 20 at the time. This lead to a heroin addiction. After a long and difficult struggle, David agreed to consider a local outpatient rehab treatment center. We selected one that prescribed suboxone and included a psychiatric evaluation. However, after 18 months attending the center, he never once saw a psychiatrist and because the doctor associated with the center had put him on Effexor and Klonopin, he now had to be weened off those as well. We tried to get him an appointment with other psychiatrists, but they either wouldn't return our calls or refused to see him on the basis that he was "a drug addict." What!? One counselor I took him to refused to help him unless he agreed to stop taking drugs...this was the reason he needed counseling! David finally admitted that he needed serious help and agreed to go into a residential rehab center in south Florida. He spent a week in detox before moving to the rehab center. Even here I had to fight with the treatment center to get him in with a psychiatrist even though I chose this particular center as it claimed to offer dual prognosis and treatment, dealing with his addiction at the same time as his mental issues. We fought with him to stay in there as long as possible but after five weeks he won the battle and he left despite his counselor advising him to stay. He came home on Sunday July 26th, he was in excellent spirits and told us he felt better than he had in years. I found him in his room on the morning of July 28th. The autopsy revealed Fentanyl in his system.

Andrew had a small group of friends who he hung out with on his days off. He would cook meals for them and they would go on random adventures, just driving to different cities. He went to a bar by himself and never made it home. He was an organ donor but unfortunately, nothing could be recovered. I didn't realize he had a drinking problem. This doesn't seem real. We miss you every day.

On October 21, 2016, my 27-year-old daughter, Miriah Katherine Herport, was found unresponsive on a street from a heroin overdose. She lived for 8 more days on life support, and was pronounced clinically brain dead. She took her last breath on October 29, 2016 at 6:43pm, surround by myself and loved ones. The only way I can describe what we as a family went through: It was a complete nightmare. Miriah started using heroin five months before she ultimately lost her life to this epidemic. Miriah left behind three beautiful daughters, Aleeyah (11), Ava (7), and Hannah (4). She also has two younger sisters Taylor (23) and a little brother Brandon (8)

Prior to Miriah's heroin use, she had experimented with drugs, but never had any significant problems or issues with substance abuse. Miriah started to use heroin at the end of May in 2016. She was going through a breakup with her long-term boyfriend and reconnected with an old friend from high school, who happened to be addicted to heroin. She made a bad decision to try heroin and she was hooked immediately after the first time she used it.

Her life began to spiral out of control very quickly. Within weeks she lost her job, became homeless, she was sleeping in her van, staying in cheap motels, and stealing to support her addiction. It was then we came together as a family and decided to take the girls from her, so they would be safe with other family members. Miriah made a few attempts to get help. She admitted to her family that she didn't think she could beat this addiction. She went to a 72-hour detox program. She also completed an assessment and was accepted into a long-term treatment program for women, however, she had to be put on a 4-6 week waiting list. Despite her release from the 72-hour hospitalization in the behavioral health center, and numerous attempts to stay clean, she never made it to rehab. She overdosed on October 21 and died on October 29, 2016.

The last 5 months of her life do not reflect or define the person Miriah was before heroin. She had a beautiful and creative spirit and was a loving and giving person. She was a friend to everyone, and had an amazing laugh. Miriah was exceptionally intelligent. She was very knowledgeable in world history, social issues and an amateur artist. Most of all she loved and adored her three daughters. Her legacy will continue to live on through her children and we will continue to share her story in order to help others and raise awareness of this epidemic. Miriah will be forever missed and there will always be a void in our lives, she was an amazing person and we will miss her always...

Brian connected to people through humor and his contagious laugh. He always brought levity to any situation and made everyone feel welcome. We will miss him so very much.

My beautiful boy Michael (my son) lost his battle with addiction at age 30 on 5/11/14.

He was the best son I could have ever hoped for! He was a loving brother and an uncle to two nephews that he adored.

He was loving, caring (always helping others), funny and creative, handsome, smart, energetic, athletic (football, wrestling, baseball, street hockey), loved animals, and nature. Those who knew him were instantly drawn to him by the angelic aura that completely surrounded him from the day he was born.

After struggling for 8+ years with addiction (opiates prescribed by an unethical doctor) his body could no longer handle the abuse, shame and depression - he passed away on Mother's Day 2014. Our family is heartbroken forever....

I am proud to say he was an organ donor and has saved the lives of four men!! A true testament of the wonderful person he was.

He was brought to us by angels; temporarily taken by the devil; and in the end, saved by the superior love and enormous strength of God! Rest in peace my dear sweet Bubba! Loved and missed dearly by all, every minute of every day. We keep his memory alive by talking about all of the good times. XOXO

Connor watched another family member struggle through recovery, which consumed a lot of the family's energy and time. He actually made this recovery happen by forcing the issue to get all family members behind this effort. Unbeknownst to family, he himself struggled with addiction, silently. We believe he didn't want to burden those who loved him most, after watching someone else go through this. He had pride, wanted to make it on his own, to be a man, responsible and to show he was in control of his life. Towards the end, his journal entries show that he was working on recovery, writing about being powerless, surrender, and finding his higher power. He was on the right track, but could not do it alone. He ran out of time.

In life, Connor was brilliant in music, playing classical music on piano one minute, slamming on the electric bass in the next. His true passion was classical piano. His musician friends all have commented on how unique he was on an instrument, putting his own touch on anything he played. He was starting on the path to become a great wood-worker. He was a deep thinker, great conversationalist, good travel companion, and his dry sense of humor will be sorely missed. We all had unfinished business with this very special guy.

Connor had a one-of-a-kind relationship with his Mother, was his father's best friend, was trying to be a closer brother, had so much more to offer the world, and those who met him never forgot him. He was a beautiful person. He was an old soul. Had he lived, he was one who would have made a difference. His passing was senseless, tragic, devastating, and totally unnecessary. He will be remembered every day, by many broken hearts.

Doug was complicated. He was fun and infuriating, silly and serious, insightful and capable of huge misjudgments. He created and enjoyed several life long friendships and made friends easily with expressions of warmth and enthusiasm.

Doug sought treatment many times and for short periods of time experienced life mostly free of substance use. He had significant health challenges and these often complicated his relationships with medications, drugs, and alcohol. He leaves an empty space for many and his family will always recall with great love and appreciation his unique personality and perspective.

Scotty was a talented freelance copywriter in the advertising industry, with wide ranging interests and talents. He was an artist, a musician, a collector of guitars, avid sea fisherman, terrific surfer, and meat loving grill master. Scott loved his family deeply, and he will always be with us in spirit.

Scott was the youngest of five children, and was exposed early to typical teenage temptations. He grew up in the small town of Laguna Beach where life was idyllic and protected. He also experienced a very delayed puberty which may have been the beginning of his use of drugs to alleviate anxiety. The delayed puberty was a challenge for him to manage, especially in light of the athletic focus of the family culture. But, it is not at all clear why some use drugs to alleviate pain or anxiety without submitting to the demon of addiction. The world needs better science to understand such an important question. Because of Scott’s intelligence and pride, he was able to hide his addictions from his family and was a high functioning adult. He went to rehab 15 years ago (shortly after college) for alcohol addiction, at his own instigation, and during those 15 years it seemed that he was thriving. It was only 2 weeks before his death that we became aware that he was not himself, and was struggling. The family circled around him in support. We were too late. He spiraled out of control, getting his drugs off the dark net…delivered by UPS truck…a delivery system that must be tackled and stopped.

Scott left behind a close-knit family of 17, and we are all dedicated to creating a world where addiction can be successfully treated.

Jared entered this world kicking and screaming surrounded by his mom, father, grandparents, and family. But unfortunately, he exited this world far too soon--alone--and quietly during the night due to an accidental overdose. We'll always remember the joyous occasion of his birth, and we'll relive the wonderful years and memories of his life. However, we will never forget the moment that our lives stopped momentarily upon learning that our son had passed during the night due to a senseless overdose, alone, with no one around. That is the reality of addiction and substance use. You will die, but for the rest of us, we have to regroup in our "new normal" way of life and move forward without you. It's not just you that addiction kills. Addiction takes us also, but more slowly, a little at a time.

It was once said that the "dash" (-) between the birth date and the death date are all of those years and memories in between. For Jared, those years were only 29, but he lived life to the fullest and lived life the way he wanted to live. We are very thankful to God for allowing us to spend 29 wonderful years with our son. He was a gift! God Speed Son--God Speed!

My brother struggled with depression most of his life. His addiction began as a way to cope with the sadness he felt. He felt like there was no other choice but to use in the neighborhood he lived in. Many cold, homeless, hungry nights we spent together sleeping outside. I once tried to kill myself a couple of years before he passed and he stopped me and took me to the hospital. Now, even in death, he has saved me again. Giving me a passion for sobriety and life. I could not have done it without him. He stood by me when no one else would. Love you more than I showed you. I am sorry Ryan, see you on the other side.

You were taken too soon from all those who loved you. We miss you every day and try to find ways to go on with you gone, which seems so impossible at times. We find comfort Just knowing your're free from those chains that held you down for so long. You're finally at peace.

Forever loved but never forgotten...

Erica was a beautiful, vibrant young lady full of life. Looking forward to her future in Radiation Technology. For the last 6 or 7 years, Erica battled extreme anxiety, which at times led to depression. She would choose various drugs from time to time in small doses to feel better. She began with marijuana and believed it was harmless. I tried to tell her it would lead to other things. About a year ago, a middle aged man approached her on her job and gave her three bags of heroin and promised her it would be the best she ever tried and if she could sell it, she would have great wealth. A couple of months later, she and a close friend snorted it. From then on, they were hooked. We did not find out until September 2017 that she was using heroin, never would have thought it. My vision of a heroin user was not my daughter, living right under our roof. She went to rehab out of state for 90 days on October 28, 2017. We picked her up from the airport and on January 26, 2017, we were shocked at her transformation. Physically and spiritually she was healed, but the mental torture never left her according to her journals. On February 6, 2017, I returned home to find she overdosed in her bedroom. Her pain was too great here and the Lord called her home. Now her home is mine to carry. We love her and miss her so much.