[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 178 (Friday, December 9, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1698-E1700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE NATIONAL OPIOID EPIDEMIC

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANN M. KUSTER

                            of new hampshire

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 8, 2016

  Ms. KUSTER. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to include in the Record 
today the personal stories of families from across the country that 
have been affected by the opioid and heroin epidemic. In the U.S. we 
lose 129 lives per day to opioid and heroin overdose. In my home state 
of New Hampshire I have learned so many heartbreaking stories of great 
people and families who have suffered from the effects of substance use 
disorder.
  Earlier this year, my colleagues and I were joined by many of these 
courageous families who came to Washington to share their stories with 
Members of Congress and push for action that will prevent overdoses and 
save lives. Since then, we passed both the Comprehensive Addiction and 
Recovery Act and the 21st Century Cures Act to provide much needed 
funding and critical policy changes to fight this epidemic.
  The advocacy of these families truly is so important to leading to 
change in Washington and I am proud to preserve their stories.


                 Jerrid Franklin Younker--Sidney, Ohio

       Susan Cole found her 17 year old son, Jerrid Younker, dead 
     on March 14, 2016. Almost three months later, she found out 
     that it his death was the result of fentanyl intoxication. 
     Susan had no idea Jerrid was using drugs and is devastated by 
     this. Jerrid missed his high school graduation, his 18th 
     birthday, and so much of his life due to one bad decision.
       Growing up, Jerrid was a dedicated fisherman. He loved 
     being outdoors, especially activities involving mud and/or 
     animals. He was an avid Bengals fan. Jerrid and Susan had 
     been going to annual Browns vs. Bengals football games every 
     year--it became a mother/son tradition.
       Jerrid was only 17 years old and had enough credits to 
     graduate high school early. He was supposed to walk in his 
     graduation on May 26th, and he wasn't even recognized for all 
     his hard work over the years after he died. Jerrid was a good 
     kid, a big prankster to all, and he loved little kids and 
     animals dearly. He had his whole life ahead of him, but now 
     it's all lost. Jerrid left behind his parents and a brother 
     and sister who miss him terribly.


        Jacqueline ``Jackie'' Zanfagna--Plaistow, New Hampshire

       Jackie Zanfagna's struggles became evident before her 10th 
     birthday. Some called her a ``difficult teen'' but her 
     mother, Anne Marie, and father, Jim, knew that Jackie was 
     struggling with a medical condition and desperately needed 
     treatment. Her parents sought help from countless doctors to 
     no avail. Jackie had bipolar tendencies. When she was at her 
     best, she was a bright, engaged girl who loved animals, 
     fashion, and cared fiercely for her niece and nephew. When 
     she was at her worst, her self-esteem plummeted and she was 
     prone to fits of rage. Her parents were left to patch the 
     walls where her fist had bust the plaster.
       Jackie's suffering went undiagnosed. Anne Marie, who 
     suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, began noticing that her 
     pain medication was missing and eventually valuables started 
     disappearing too. When the Zanfagna's realized that they 
     couldn't trust their daughter or her friends, they changed 
     their locks, installed an alarm system, and got a guard dog.
       Jackie survived one overdose but was so deeply ashamed that 
     she pushed away the people who cared about her the most. 
     Somehow, in the midst of what seemed a plummeting spiral, 
     Jackie found some solid ground at the age of 25.
       After years of thwarted endeavors such as cosmetology 
     school, community college and a modeling agency, Jackie 
     landed a good job at Staples. She had a new car, a new 
     boyfriend and her relationship with her family was suddenly 
     on the mend It seemed like the nightmare of the previous 
     years might have finally lifted.
       When Jackie died of a heroin overdose on October 18, 2014, 
     her family was devastated.


                      Andy Zorn--Phoenix, Arizona

       Andy was born in 1982 in Phoenix, Arizona. He had a joyful 
     life. He made friends easily and he was always on a mission 
     to make people laugh; as the class clown and life of the 
     party, he often succeeded. When Andy grew older, a few of his 
     good friends developed substance abuse issues and Andy took 
     it upon himself to help them work through it. After seeing 
     the destruction of hard drugs first-hand, he made a personal 
     commitment to not use.
       Andy was a big dreamer and made concrete plans for his 
     future. He started a retirement savings account at the age of 
     16, after starting his very first job. But as Andy became a 
     young adult, he thought he had to participate in drinking and 
     drugs in order to fit in. He was good at hiding the extent to 
     which he must have indulged in these activities. Andy 
     committed suicide on March 1, 2014, in Peoria, Arizona. His 
     suicide note was surprising and painful:
       ``My soul is already dead. Marijuana killed my soul + 
     ruined my brain.''
       Andy spent his last five years in a downward spiral of what 
     we now recognize as marijuana abuse. There were the calls to 
     suicide help lines, hospitalizations in five different mental 
     health hospitals on three different occasions, and two 
     sentences of court-ordered mental health treatment for 
     psychotic behavior. During the last week of his life Andy 
     told his mother, father and the social worker that he had to 
     quit using marijuana to live but he was unable to do so; he 
     was addicted. Marijuana was doing nothing good for him except 
     to help him sleep. Without it he had nightmares.
       But by then, Andy's waking life was a nightmare that he 
     suffered for years. He worked for very short durations with 
     various mental health professionals and received a variety of 
     diagnoses, including Major Depression, PTSD, Bipolar 
     Disorder, Mild Alcohol Use Disorder and Severe Cannabis Use 
     Disorder.
       One of his doctors noted in his records, ``Andy is a kind 
     and gentle man. He is an honorable man. Andy is smart with 
     goals and the skills to make them happen. Andy has a great 
     smile and people are comfortable around him.''
       For a time Andy functioned well; mostly employed, earning 
     an Associate Degree and completing three years of active duty 
     in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, including a tour of 
     duty in Iraq. But as the marijuana addiction took control 
     over his life, he lost insight into his own mental health. He 
     began to isolate and avoided friends and family. He quit his 
     jobs and disappointed himself over and over again.
       Andy is one of the 129 a day who has died from a substance 
     use disorder. Andy is one of the 22 Veterans that committed 
     suicide each day.


                Zafer Julian Estill--Arlington, Virginia

       Zafer died on April 13, 2016, from an accidental heroin 
     overdose. He was 19 years old--just months away from his 20th 
     birthday. Zafer, affectionately know as ``Z,'' was a beloved 
     son, brother to three siblings, and friend to many.
       Z was a sophomore at the University of Colorado, where he 
     was known as an adventurer, traveler and explorer, who sought 
     out thrills whenever possible. He was an avid tennis player 
     and loved to skateboard, hike, kayak, and follow his favorite 
     sports teams. He liked to begin where the chair lift ended--
     he'd carry his skis higher up the mountain in search of an 
     untouched backcountry run. Many of his finest selfies come 
     from his treasured mountain explorations in Colorado.
       Z was the ``connector'' in his family; he always made sure 
     to reach out after going too long without checking in. It was 
     second nature to him to send a text, email, or even a 
     handwritten note just to remind people that he cared. We used 
     to joke that Z paid more attention grooming his emails to 
     Grandma than he did on his papers for school.
       On the night of April 13th, Z tried heroin. He bought it 
     for $7.00 a hit. Z went to sleep and never woke up. His 
     family's pain, shock and grief upon losing Z is one story 
     among many that evidence the public health crisis facing this 
     country. Heroin use has more than doubled among young adults 
     in the past decade.
       Even though the lives of his family have been forever 
     changed by Zafer's death, his spirit and energy will live on 
     within each of them and through the good they contribute to 
     this world. Their hope is that by sharing Zafer's story, and 
     telling the truth about his death, they may be able to save 
     another life.


                 Jordan Lewis Barnes--Ludlow, Kentucky

       Jordan was born October 13, 1991. Jordan was an avid 
     motocross rider. He lived for fast

[[Page E1699]]

     speed and unthinkable stunts. At the age of 15 he was 
     involved in a serious motocross accident, causing him to 
     break both wrists and having pins put in them. He shattered 
     his collarbone and had a titanium plate and 12 screws 
     inserted. He also suffered severe knee complications. After 
     he was healed, Jordan foolishly punched an ice box at a local 
     store in Ludlow, resulting in what's referred to as a 
     `Boxer's Fracture' in his right wrist. From there on, his 
     life would forever change.
       At only 15 years old, Jordan was prescribed strong 
     narcotics for his great level of pain. This would only turn 
     to harder drugs and heavier dosages. At 16, Jordan dropped 
     out of high school. Over the next 9 years, Jordan was on a 
     constant rollercoaster of ups and downs; experimenting with 
     different types of drugs like marijuana, Percocet, and 
     Vicodin, and his drinking began to surge as well. He checked 
     into a treatment facility, where he stayed for 3 to 4 months. 
     He appreciated his time there. He liked the atmosphere and 
     the people who were there. He made comments about wanting to 
     go back to work there and help others who struggled with the 
     same demons he did.
       On Mother's Day of 2013, at 21 years old, Jordan 
     experienced his first overdose from heroin. He was found in 
     the bathroom of his grandmother's home with a needle hanging 
     out of his leg; he was unresponsive. Jordan was rushed to the 
     hospital where he was put on life support and remained on it 
     for roughly 30 hours. After spending an additional few days 
     in the hospital, he was released. Upon his release, Jordan 
     had a new outlook on life. He changed the group of friends he 
     previously associated with. He changed the places he hung 
     out.
       August 2013 came around and Jordan's father, presented him 
     with an opportunity to work and make really good money in a 
     different state. Jordan jumped at this opportunity. He moved 
     to North Dakota and lived there for a year. Jordan seemed to 
     be doing well, until he fell with the wrong crowd. He began 
     using again and eventually lost his job, which ultimately led 
     to him living out of his car. Jordan's father booked two 
     flights for him to fly back home but Jordan never got on the 
     plane. Finally, with the help of one of the only true friends 
     he had, Jordan made it home with the intent to start fresh. 
     Jordan stayed with his friend for a few months to continue on 
     a positive path.
       In September 2014, Jordan was pulled over and arrested for 
     no insurance. While he was in jail he ended up getting sick 
     from detoxing and spent 45 days in the hospital. During his 
     hospital stay, we learned that Jordan had a lot of internal 
     issues that he was unaware of. His kidneys had started to 
     shut down, he had an infection in his blood which led to 
     `Infective Endocarditis' (which is a bacterial infection on 
     the heart valve), and he tested positive for Hepatitis C from 
     his careless mindset of just wanting to get high and using 
     dirty needles. All this at the age of 23 years old. Jordan's 
     doctors told him that the next time he decided to do drugs 
     again, it would kill him. He was on his last chance at life.
       After being discharged from the hospital, he returned home 
     to live with his grandmother. He seemed to be doing very well 
     this time around and had a positive outlook of the future. He 
     seemed to be enjoying the life he was living.
       One night, Jordan went out to a bar with a family friend. 
     They were hanging out, having a good time and ultimately 
     ended up in Cincinnati to get heroin. Nobody truly knows what 
     happened that night, other than Jordan being with the family 
     friend.
       In result of their trip to Cincinnati, Jordan shot the 
     heroin and began to snore. After snoring for a little while, 
     Jordan suddenly stopped. Instead of taking Jordan directly to 
     the hospital, the family friend took Jordan to his father's 
     house. Once Jordan arrived, 9-1-1 was called and an ambulance 
     was dispatched. His stepmother, began to perform CPR and 
     administered Narcan twice without any luck. EMT's attempted 
     to resuscitate Jordan by shocking his heart but were 
     unsuccessful. They insisted on calling Jordan's death at his 
     father's house, but a doctor at the hospital advised them to 
     bring him into the hospital. When he arrived to the hospital 
     the doctors did get a faint pulse and Jordan was placed on 
     life support for the second, and final, time.
       Jordan's organs started shutting down at a rapid pace; 
     there wasn't anything anyone could do. Jordan knew that the 
     next shot would kill him. He didn't care; he wanted that 
     high. Jordan laid in that hospital bed, helplessly on life 
     support for nearly 18 hours, until his little brother could 
     make it in from California to say goodbye. Jordan's hospital 
     room filled with family and friends that loved him, and 
     stayed with him as he took his last breath.
       Jordan lost his battle with addiction April 11, 2016. He 
     touched many people with his infectious smile and huge heart. 
     He was loved by many and is missed by many more.


             Stephen J. Deagle, Jr.--Revere, Massachusetts

       Stephen's mother lost her only child, Stephen J. Deagle, 
     Jr., on January 8, 2015, at the age of 32. Stephen was an 
     extraordinary young man. He had an IQ score of 147, but 
     Stephen was much more than just smart. Stephen was kind, 
     caring, loving, witty and gifted, with unparalleled talents 
     in computer science and music.
       From the age of four, Stephen would write code on his new 
     Apple computer, master video games inside and out, and 
     learned to play the guitar. From there he taught himself how 
     to play the bass, drums and vocals. Stephen always loved 
     people. He would stop and talk to strangers, and would do 
     anything for his friends or family. He was the boy who was 
     always laughing.
       Stephen's intelligence was recognized at a young age and 
     was later accepted to St. John's Prep, a private high school 
     in Danvers, Massachusetts. When he was just a senior in high 
     school, Stephen was one of 160 individuals worldwide accepted 
     to attend a law and advocacy seminar in Washington, D.C.
       Stephen's demise started early in his first year of 
     college, when he had four impacted wisdom teeth removed. 
     During the surgery, the doctors mistakenly chipped his jaw 
     bone; requiring him to have two subsequent surgeries for 
     which he was prescribed pain medication. Stephen's mother 
     wanted to take the pills so he wouldn't use them, but he 
     assured her he would only take one at a time, when needed.
       Within days, Stephen became addicted. He later told his 
     mother, ``I knew I loved this pill. When I took the first 
     one--it was the first time I didn't feel any mental or 
     physical pain.'' He admitted this three months after his 
     first surgery. Stephen was then put in private care treatment 
     but, despite his mother having to refinance her house three 
     times to pay for it, he didn't stay long enough.
       At 19, Stephen got clean in Boston, moved to California for 
     a good job and a chance at a new life. Sadly, he didn't 
     understand that treatment is not enough to maintain recovery, 
     and the urge to use was too strong. Stephen found heroin in 
     San Francisco and again him and his family started the road 
     towards recovery. His mother flew back and forth to do all 
     she could to get Stephen into another treatment facility. 
     Finally, they found one that would accept him and he entered 
     treatment for the second time.
       Stephen could not stop using--the urges were too strong. 
     Stephen later went on methadone, despite his mother's strong 
     protests against it. As he explained it, ``Mom I can't stop 
     and if I don't get on methadone, I'm going to die.'' Stephen 
     stayed on methadone for nine years, but was unable to go off 
     it, despite multiple attempts.
       Finally, Stephen felt ready to start looking for work 
     again. He found a job he loved that was in his desired field 
     of Computer Science. Stephen excelled at his new job and was 
     promoted within the first three months of working. His boss's 
     boss later told Stephen's mother that he would do things on 
     the network that he didn't know were possible.
       Stephen amazed everyone who met him. He was very humble 
     about his talents and didn't want anyone to know just how 
     smart he was, or how much he cared about everything and 
     everyone he loved. Stephen was kind and generous to almost a 
     fault.
       ``My efforts to gain temporary guardianship were denied, 
     BlueCross BlueShield wouldn't sell me gap insurance, the 
     courts would not get involved, and all of Stephen's doctors 
     that saw him for years wouldn't fill out the paperwork to 
     allow me to take over his care,'' writes his mother. ``After 
     many pleas with his recovery center, they told me they were 
     filling out paperwork to transfer him to another facility but 
     they didn't. Stephen was released after only 21 days--21 days 
     with nine new prescriptions. There was not enough time for 
     his body to even adjust to new medication, let alone that 
     detox from nine years of methadone, one month of suboxone, 
     three months of vivitrol, and a heroin overdose.''
       ``My life is forever changed. Stephen was my only child, my 
     parents' only grandson, my brother and sister's only nephew 
     and my niece's only cousin. The loss of this kind, beautiful 
     young man who wanted nothing more in life than to make a 
     difference in the world has left a hole in our family that 
     can never be filled. The world is black to me now, where once 
     all the colors were so vivid when I shared my life with my 
     son. No wedding, no mother/son dance, no grandchildren, no 
     holidays or birthdays--only darkness and pain. Despite 
     awareness events, speaking locally, statewide and with 
     members of Congress, no real change has been made to fix the 
     broken healthcare system in this country. One death every 
     four minutes is too many. May God bless all those who 
     continue to struggle without the care they need and 
     deserve.''


                 Alicia DeMarco--Reading, Massachusetts

       Alicia struggled her entire life. At a young age, she was 
     diagnosed with significant comorbid learning disabilities and 
     mental disorders; specifically Attention Deficit Disorder, 
     Executive Function Deficit and Bipolar Disorder. Alicia's 
     mother constantly fought the school system to get Alicia the 
     support she so desperately needed, but to no avail. As a 
     result, Alicia dropped out of high school in her junior year.
       At 16 years old, Alicia started experimenting with drugs 
     and was getting into trouble with the law. By 18, she 
     transitioned to shooting heroin. One month after her 18th 
     birthday, Alicia was sent to Massachusetts Committing 
     Institution (MCI)-Framingham state prison.
       Alicia spent the majority of her adult life either in jail, 
     detox, dual-diagnostic hospitals, and treatment programs. 
     When she was 24 years old, Alicia gave birth to her daughter, 
     Alexa.
       Alicia received a free enrollment into a pilot mode 
     intervention program in Palm

[[Page E1700]]

     Springs, California. This program covered all expenses, 
     paying to fly Alicia's family of five out to LA, and waived 
     the treatment facility's one-month fee of $25,000. It was a 
     miracle. Alicia's family had so much hope.
       After completing the program, Alicia told her mother, 
     ``Mom, I've never felt so good in my whole life.'' She was 
     given the option to take up residency in a sober living 
     environment; however, Alicia's boyfriend back home was more 
     important to her. Therefore, she returned home and again 
     began her codependent, toxic relationship.
       Alicia's boyfriend, along with others, enabled her 
     addiction. It was a constant tug-of-war; Alicia's family 
     pulled her in the right direction, as her boyfriend pulled 
     her towards a life of drugs, crime, sleeping under bridges 
     and jail.
       At this time, Alicia got pregnant for the second time. 
     However, her boyfriend left her for another girl. Her mother 
     helped Alicia find a OB/GYN doctor that would prescribe her 
     subutex. She moved into a shelter that August. Things were 
     going well. Her mother would pick Alicia up every day, and 
     gave her whatever she needed. She saw her doctor every week.
       Alicia started seeing another guy, who she knew through her 
     previous boyfriend. Alicia's new guy seemed to be very laid 
     back, and Alicia appeared to be happy with him. On November 
     18, 2014, Alicia's mother, her husband, and Alicia's 
     daughter, Alexa, all flew to Fort Lauderdale to visit family. 
     Alicia was eight and half months pregnant at the time, so 
     they thought it would be best to visit before she gave birth 
     to her new baby girl, Arianna Marie DeMarco.
       On November 21, 2014, Alicia's mother received that 
     dreadful phone call from the North Reading Police Department. 
     Her beautiful daughter Alicia and precious granddaughter-to-
     be were both dead. Alicia's doctor had taken her off of her 
     subutex medication eight days prior to her overdose. Alicia's 
     death certificate indicated Fentanyl, not heroin, was the 
     cause of her overdose. She was 28 years old.
       Alicia was a very compassionate and loving person. She 
     loved her family and especially her daughter, Alexa.


                   Cain Franklin--Warrenton, Virginia

       Cain Franklin exhibited a unique and joyful spirit from the 
     very beginning. At age seven, he asked for a tuxedo and a 
     Bowflex for Christmas. In the second grade, Cain dressed up 
     as Bill Gates for his private school's ``Famous People Day.'' 
     Growing up, his favorite toy was a cash register and Cain 
     would open up little shops and sell things to his mother. 
     Despite excellent grades in school, Cain had some behavioral 
     problems and was tested for ADD. The results determined Cain 
     did not have ADD, but rather he had an extremely high IQ; he 
     wasn't being stimulated in school and would finish his work 
     before everyone else.
       Cain proved to be an exceptional martial artist and was 
     presented with his second Dan (rank) black belt at just 11 
     years old. As soon as he picked up a football he joined a 
     league and, within two weeks, he replaced the coach's son as 
     quarterback. Cain's personality was larger than life. He 
     could carry on conversations with anyone, no matter their 
     age, and had a contagious smile. Despite Cain's popularity 
     and leader persona in school, he always befriended the 
     underdog. He also taught himself how to play the guitar and 
     in weeks, he was writing his own songs. Cain and his mother 
     shared an unbreakable bond. He was truly gifted and his life 
     seemed blessed--he was truly loved.
       When Cain was older he started using alcohol and marijuana, 
     which began to affect his school work and his personality. He 
     was sent to a 28 day treatment facility and later to an 
     outdoor-education program, in an attempt to try and 
     discourage his drug usage. However, each time Cain returned 
     home he went right back to using.
       When Cain and his mother moved into town, people started 
     coming and going from their house at all hours. His mother 
     saw evidence of pills and Cain admitted to using them. She 
     started losing control over Cain's actions. She tried to set 
     boundaries, all of which were ignored. She started to notice 
     that her spoons were going missing and the ones she did find 
     had black marks on the bottom. She also was finding bits of 
     cotton and Q-tips everywhere. She still had no idea of what 
     was going on. Once she discovered a needle, she understood.
       Cain's mother began having to take regular trips to the 
     Emergency Room when she would find Cain passed out on the 
     floor. She then sent Cain to another treatment facility and, 
     on his return, to AA and NA meetings. Cain's mother watched 
     her son go from a robust young man, to a pale, skinny kid 
     with broken out skin. She accompanied him through many self-
     detoxes and was by his side when he underwent various 
     withdrawal stages--the chills, fevers, diarrhea, vomiting, 
     cramps, and him pacing for hours. But in the end, Cain went 
     right back to using.
       One day, in the early hours, the police came knocking at 
     Cain's mother's door asking if the boy they found face down 
     and blue in the driveway, was her son. Cain was arrested for 
     being in his car, unresponsive, a needle at his feet, with 
     heroin residue.
       The attorney fees, plus the treatments and hospital visits 
     wiped out a good part of his mother's savings. Cain started 
     to steal her jewelry and pawned it for cash. Cain also stole 
     his mother's debit card, spending hundreds and only would 
     return it for more money. Finally, Cain failed a urine test 
     and was sent to jail for three months.
       When Cain was released, he was clean for 11 months and 
     started to get his life back on track. He attended AA 
     meetings and exchanged his former druggie friends for models 
     of sobriety. He started kickboxing, going to the gym, and 
     working long, hot hours as a landscaper. Him and his mother 
     would talk or text on a daily basis and Cain would 
     occasionally come over to talk more. Cain promised his mother 
     he would pay her back for everything and began making these 
     payments. Things were looking up. Then, four days of silence 
     during which, in her heart, his mother knew was not good. She 
     got a knock on the door to find an officer and a police 
     chaplain. Cain's mother was devastated, but also relieved 
     that Cain's battle was over--though hers was just beginning.
       Cain died July 17, 2015, and had been dead for four days, 
     according to when he last used his key card to enter his 
     home. Cain's housemates called the landlord because of the 
     smell protruding from his room; his body was only 
     identifiable by his dental records due to the decomposition.
       Cain is missed every single day.

                          ____________________