[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16731-16733]
[From the U.S. 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 is Washington and I am proud to preserve their stories.


                   erik lee blom--fairview, tennessee

       Erik's death has devastated his entire family. He was an 
     extremely gifted and creative young man whose keen wit and 
     empathetic heart is missed everyday.
       Erik began to abuse substances in 7th grade. His sister 
     remembers the day he made the mistake of wearing bike shorts 
     to school--he was bullied everyday after that. Eventually, 
     Erik made a conscious decision to be tougher than anyone else 
     and his tender heart began to harden with the belief that it 
     was best not to feel--never to cry. Erik was intelligent, 
     frustrated, and bored. The school thought he would benefit 
     from being challenged in a gifted class and it did seem to 
     help some, but he would still disappear to a place that we 
     couldn't seem to reach. Erik's depression and anxiety kept 
     him off-balance and he started self-medicating with marijuana 
     before moving on to Xanax and Lortab. Pills were easy to get. 
     Kids took them from their parents bedside tables and traded 
     on the bus. Erik was arrested at school during his senior 
     year for public intoxication. He went to jail and then to 
     treatment. He was put on probation for a year. The summer 
     after treatment, Erik and his sister worked at a kids camp 
     together and our family had a summer to remember--we had our 
     son back.
       In the fall of 2003, Erik started college as a double major 
     in graphic design and print making. He was being treated for 
     Bipolar II but his anxiety and depression weren't being 
     managed properly and he went back to self-medicating with 
     marijuana. From early childhood coloring contests to his 
     mastery of printmaking, Erik was always driven to share his 
     life through art. This process of creation became an act of 
     rebellion against the demons that plagued him.
       Erik used heroin for the first time one week before his 
     26th birthday. The group of people who helped him shoot up 
     for the first time then had to spend 45 minutes reviving him. 
     He survived. He told his family that when he used that day, 
     he felt no pain for the first time since he could remember. 
     He would go on to chase that feeling for three years. He 
     never found it again. Instead, he found an addiction that 
     brought him to homelessness, got him work as a confidential 
     informant, landed him in jail, lost him friends and at times, 
     his family, caused unthinkable trauma, and ultimately death.
       On April 30, 2014, Erik had been clean and sober for 6 
     months but his mood disorder was out of control. The 
     psychiatrist prescribed him two weeks of Klonopin but he took 
     all of it in two days. His agitation progressed and turned 
     into outright rage. We called the police in hopes that he 
     would be admitted to the hospital to stabilize, but he didn't 
     have health insurance and presented as well enough, so they 
     released him. When he came back home things got even crazier 
     and we called the police again. Erik went to stay with a 
     friend who he pressured to take him to a dealer. Erik shot up 
     in the car and then again in the bathroom. Erik's sister got 
     a call from a detective at 2:22 a.m. He told her that the 
     entire family needed to get to the ER asap. When Erik's 
     family arrived they were told that Erik was dead upon 
     arrival. That was Thursday, May 1, 2014. That was the day our 
     lives changed forever. He was 29 years old.

[[Page 16732]]




                  John Botkins, III--Clermont, Florida

       From the day John was born, he brought so much joy to 
     everyone lives. No matter how hard his family tried to stay 
     mad at him, over the mischief he got into, John always 
     managed to say something funny to make them laugh. John was a 
     very inquisitive child and adult, never believing anything 
     would hurt him and always willing to try anything.
       Needless to say, life with John was never dull. He was 
     always independent and strong-willed, but always cheerful and 
     upbeat, even when he was fighting his hardest demons. While 
     in middle school, John was diagnosed with ADD, and placed on 
     medication to help keep him focused. John was in and out of 
     school after that, and barely managed to graduate high 
     school. He attended one year of college and flunked out. He 
     returned home and his step-father and mother paid to send him 
     to train to climb towers, where he excelled and began working 
     for his stepfather's company. He was one of the best climbers 
     in the industry.
       Unfortunately, John's alcohol and drug habit exacerbated 
     throughout the years, changing his personality and his 
     lifestyle drastically. His mother never wanted to believe he 
     had a problem and was fearful, if she made him mad, he would 
     not love her, and she would not see him.
       After an almost fatal overdose, it came to light that John 
     had been using drugs for 15 years. He was 30 years old at the 
     time and had two daughters, ages two and four.
       John's family tried to encourage him to enter a treatment 
     program, but he declined, stating he had to go back to work 
     to help support his daughters. His family agreed to support 
     John as long as he stayed clean. He did pretty well for a 
     couple of months, but those close to him began to see some 
     familiar signs that he was using again.
       On Memorial Day, 2012, John's mother received the phone 
     call that every mother of a child struggling with addiction 
     dreads getting. Her young granddaughters got up that morning 
     and found their father lying dead on the living room floor--
     their lives traumatized and forever changed.
       Not a day goes by that John's mother doesn't think of her 
     sweet little happy baby boy and his sensitive and caring 
     heart. She knows, without a doubt, that he would have never 
     intentionally put his family through this grief and 
     heartache. He had such a sensitive spirit and giving heart 
     for those in trouble or need and he would never have 
     purposefully caused this. These demons called heroin and 
     cocaine consumed him and ultimately took him.


                 dayne brandano--malden, massachusetts

       Dayne and his sister, Brittany, have struggled with the 
     disease of addiction. Dayne died on July 25, 2015 from a drug 
     overdose; and Brittany is in recovery and very involved in 
     the sober community.
       The Brandano family has been dealing with the heroin 
     epidemic first-hand since 2006, when Brittany was hit by a 
     car and needed surgery. When Brittany was released from the 
     hospital, she was given a prescription for liquid OxyContin. 
     Dayne and Brittany's mother had never heard of the drug 
     before. One day, she noticed that most of the liquid was gone 
     and had not been taken as directed. From that point forward 
     the Brandano family tried everything to help Brittany: tough 
     love, endless understanding and support, various detoxes, 
     rehabs, etc. Within six months of abusing her prescription 
     pain medication, Brittany was addicted to heroin.
       After battling with insurance companies who refused to 
     cover long-term care for addiction treatment, the Brandano 
     family decided to send Brittany out-of-state to a privately-
     owned treatment facility. At the time, Brittany was 18 years 
     old and Dayne was only 10. Dayne worried about his sister a 
     lot and witnessed many things that no 10 year old should have 
     to witness. On one occasion, Brittany coaxed him to urinate 
     in her drug testing cup.
       Dayne started smoking pot at an early age and was smoking 
     regularly by the time he was 11. Dayne graduated to Percocet 
     when he was 14, after he found a prescription at his 
     grandmother's house. From then on, residential treatment 
     stays became the norm for Dayne. His final stint in treatment 
     was at the age of 16.
       Dayne was sober for about four months before his first and 
     final relapse. When he came home from treatment, Dayne looked 
     amazing. His mother could sense peace in his eyes. She knew 
     he really wanted to stay sober and she could finally sleep at 
     night. The night before Dayne died, he came home looking like 
     he had been smoking pot. His mother calmly told him that 
     together they were going to look for treatment options in the 
     morning and that she loved him. That was the last time she 
     saw Dayne alive.
       Dayne's mother feels cheated. All of their family's hard 
     work for nothing. As a family, they did everything they could 
     to save Dayne and his mother still can't accept that he is 
     gone. She tried getting help for Dayne from every corner; 
     fighting for a bed, fighting with insurance companies, etc. 
     The Brandano family were involved, loving parents, who 
     volunteered at school and enrolled their kids in every sport 
     and activity. Dayne was an amazing human being with the most 
     beautiful soul--many who knew him have said the same.


          Gregory Lee Chapman III--Prince Frederick, Maryland

       Gregory (Greg) Lee Chapman III died August 27th of 2015, 
     from a fatal mixture of heroin, Alpha PVP (AKA Flakka), and 
     Fentanyl. He was 26 years old. Greg was many things--he was 
     not his addiction. He loved God, his family, his friends, and 
     his fellow Army Veterans.
       On Greg's first day of high school he was given drugs by 
     another classmate. This was the start of a journey that would 
     ultimately end in his death. After high school, Greg decided 
     he wanted to get away from his hometown, where he felt so 
     heavily influenced by the drug culture; he joined the Army 
     and went to boot camp. Things seemed to be turning around for 
     him until he got deployed to Iraq at the age of 19. Greg 
     never talked about the things that happened over there, but 
     his family knows he experienced countless traumatizing 
     events.
       After deployment, he was stationed back in Seattle. Not 
     long after that, Greg received medication from a doctor to 
     treat his depression and opioids for his back pain. This took 
     him back down the wrong road--but this time his struggles 
     were compounded by PTSD. A few months later, he put himself 
     into a 30-day treatment program in Oregon.
       Greg continued to battle with addiction throughout all of 
     his transfers and ended up with a couple of DUI's. After 5 
     years in the military, he decided that it was time for him to 
     leave the Army at the age of 23. He feared that if he didn't, 
     he may not end up leaving on his own terms.
       He ended up back home with his family. He never really 
     found his way and the path that called to him was one that 
     would keep him medicated from his nightmares. As time went 
     by, his fight or flight responses heightened and he had no 
     ability to deal with the trauma he had experienced.
       Sometimes when he came to visit me Greg would pass out 
     while we were mid-conversation. His family had no previous 
     experience with heroin or prescription pills and didn't know 
     what to do at first. After a while it became clear that there 
     was a much bigger problem. Greg then entered a treatment 
     facility followed by a stay in sober living.
       After his stay in the sober living facility he thought that 
     he could make a go of it on his own. He moved into an 
     apartment that he found online. We later discovered that the 
     owner of the house was a drug dealer and human trafficker and 
     is currently serving 8 years in jail. When Greg said he 
     wanted to move out of that apartment we told him to come 
     home, but he wanted to stay in Florida where his friends were 
     and find a different place.
       The police raided his home on August 27th and my son was 
     found dead in his garage apartment. He was not alone when he 
     took that fatal dose, but he was left there to die.
       Greg was too good for this world and dealt with great 
     emotional pain. He thought he should be strong enough to 
     recover on his own, even though his last words to one of his 
     friends were, ``We can't do this alone.'' He was always 
     reaching out to others even in the midst of his own battles 
     and there are people today who are sober because of his 
     death.


                    David Coffey--Bristol, Tennessee

       David was born on September 1, 1981, in Bristol, Tennessee. 
     He entered this world healthy after a long and somewhat 
     complicated delivery: 10 fingers, 10 toes, a set of lungs 
     that worked perfectly. He arrived as the first-born into a 
     happy home and was joined by his brother, Chris, 22 months 
     later. The boys were so much alike that they were often 
     mistaken for twins.
       It was not until his late teenage years that David began 
     experimenting with drugs, which didn't develop into an 
     addiction until much later. He obtained a degree in Audio 
     Engineering in Manhattan, NY and then moved back to 
     Tennessee. He took a bad fall at one point and shattered his 
     ankle. He had to have surgery and was given prescription 
     pills for the pain. From that time on, life became a 
     struggle; it all started with Lortab and progressed to 
     Oxycontin.
       After going to his first treatment facility, which lasted 
     for almost 90 days, David relapsed almost immediately.
       This cycle continued for nearly 15 years. At times, David 
     would gain long periods of sobriety--a year, maybe two years 
     at a time. He even returned to school to become a Master 
     Barber and opened his own barber shop. Through it all he was 
     a loving and giving young man--always willing to help others. 
     He had a sense of humor that could rival the best and put a 
     smile on your face on the worst of days. Yet in the end, 
     drugs still won the war. On July 26, 2015, while on vacation, 
     David passed away from a heroin overdose.


            Nicholas (Nick) Contopulos--Temecula, California

       On May 29th, 2010, the Contopulos family lost their 26-
     year-old son, Nick, after a 14-year struggle to find long-
     term, affordable, clinically informed care and recovery for 
     his addiction and mental illness.
       During his shortened life, Nick spent time in more than 
     twenty-five inpatient treatment facilities (some at great 
     expense), as well as numerous sober living homes, in addition 
     to multiple visits to local emergency rooms.

[[Page 16733]]

       Although Nick struggled courageously to find long-term 
     recovery, he relapsed time and time again. Those who loved 
     Nick came to respect this cunning, powerful and baffling 
     disease and its ability to destroy everything in its path.
       Due to the desperation that addiction entails, Nick was 
     incarcerated for a total of more than three years. If a 
     portion of what our society spent on keeping Nick behind bars 
     had been allocated to finding long-term, affordable care, 
     Nick's father believes that he would be alive today. Sadly, 
     this is not so. Instead, we live in a time where hundreds of 
     thousands of ``other Nicks'' struggle daily to find their own 
     recovery in a society where this medical problem continues to 
     be stigmatized and criminalized. May we who have survived, 
     live to see a better day for these ``other Nicks'' and for 
     those who love them.


         Elizabeth (Lizzie) DelSardo--Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

       Lizzie was only 23 years old when she lost her battle with 
     addiction. Sadly, she struggled for several years, spent time 
     in a few treatment facilities, and was called home by her 
     Heavenly Father on May 11, 2016.
       Lizzie was very interested in musical theatre and enjoyed 
     both watching and performing. She loved to sing and dance 
     constantly singing anywhere she was. Lizzie would write her 
     own songs and poems and was always so excited to share them 
     with us. She was eager to hear our opinions, even though she 
     would sometimes get upset if we didn't LOVE them.
       Everyone who knew Lizzie loved her infectious laugh and 
     bright smile. After she passed away, we found out from her 
     friends that Lizzie was their go-to person for support and 
     encouragement; she was always willing to help and comfort 
     them.
       Lizzie touched so many lives in her short time here on 
     earth. She will be forever remembered for her free spirit, 
     compassion for others, and her sense of humor. She will 
     remain in the hearts of those who loved her forever.


                      Kevin Doan--Cincinnati, Ohio

       Kevin Doan grew up in an upper middle class family. They 
     lived on wooded property and as a child Kevin spent most days 
     ``building camps,'' fishing, and hiking around with his 
     sister, brothers and friends from the neighborhood. When he 
     was six he expressed an interest in ice hockey and excelled 
     on the ice, quickly moving up through the teams. Kevin spent 
     his teenage years traveling to play AAA hockey. He was a 
     large, formidable figure on the team. His dad was always the 
     head or assistant coach, so they spent many hours together on 
     and off the ice.
       Kevin graduated from high school and got a degree in 
     Construction Technology. He gravitated towards construction 
     because he loved being outside and working with his hands. He 
     spent weekends doing what he loved--camping, fishing and 
     playing hockey.
       Kevin's family believes his drug problem began in 2014, at 
     the age of 28, after he injured his back on a job site. The 
     doctor prescribed him pain meds and Kevin quickly developed a 
     substance use disorder--wanting and needing these pills even 
     after the doctor would no longer prescribe them.
       Kevin was always able to hold a full-time job, and 
     therefore had enough money to buy the pills illegally. He 
     began to come around less often for family gatherings, and 
     kept missing birthdays and holidays. When his family 
     questioned him, Kevin said he was ``sick.'' His family knew 
     something was wrong but had no idea the extent of his 
     illness.
       Kevin came to his family in October 2015, and told them he 
     wanted to get help. On October 15th, Kevin packed his 
     belongings and his parents drove him to a treatment facility 
     in Northern Ohio. They hugged, kissed and told him how proud 
     they were of him!
       During Kevin's time in treatment he wrote his family 
     letters about how happy and whole he felt. He honestly 
     thought he could come home and stay clean. Kevin was allowed 
     to come home for a visit over Christmas. When he came home, 
     he was clear-eyed, 25 lbs heavier and enjoyed spending time 
     with his entire family--he kept saying how thankful he was 
     for his family.
       Kevin returned to the program after the holiday and was 
     officially released on January 23, 2016. Kevin was advised 
     not to return to Cincinnati, where he would be triggered by 
     his apartment and his friends. He ignored this advice, 
     thinking that he could handle himself. He planned to return 
     to his job and apartment. His family was terrified for him to 
     come back and their fears were realized on January 26, 2016, 
     only 3 days after Kevin came home, when his mother discovered 
     him dead--in their home, in his old bedroom. Kevin was 30 
     years old.
       The detectives found a needle near his body with a small 
     amount of heroin left in it. It was later determined that the 
     heroin was laced with a synthetic fentanyl. The detectives 
     said that because Kevin had just gotten out of treatment and 
     his system was clean, the drugs immediately shut down his 
     heart. His family had no idea that Kevin was using heroin. He 
     had never been arrested and had no police record--not even a 
     ticket.


                     Reese Engle--Henderson, Nevada

       Reese was 19 years old at the time of his death on July 21, 
     2011. He had a dynamic personality, never without a smile on 
     his face or a kind word on his lips. He was a loving brother, 
     son, uncle and friend to all he came in contact with.
       Reese was an accomplished athlete from a very young age. As 
     a nine year old, Reese was selected to join the boys All-Star 
     baseball team.
       As the oldest of four boys, Reese tended to take care of 
     his younger brothers' needs and wants before his own; always 
     making sure everyone was included in the activity of the day. 
     As a born leader and protector, Reese made sure that no one 
     felt uncomfortable or unsure of themselves. Graduating high 
     school was a huge accomplishment for Reese and he had plans 
     to join the military.
       Reese started using prescription pain medication when he 
     was 15 years old, which turned into a heroin addiction. 
     Heroin became a way of life for him and ultimately too big a 
     foe to overcome.
       In his short, yet, vibrant life, Reese touched people in a 
     unique way. Those who had the pleasure of crossing his path 
     have distinct memories of him. Reese is at peace, and his 
     family grieves this loss but not the experiences they had 
     with him.


                  Kathrine Folker--Warrenton, Virginia

       From the moment she was born, Kathrine and her mother had a 
     powerful bond, and despite what was to come, this connection 
     never faltered.
       Kathrine showed some signs of trouble early in her life, 
     but her family didn't think they were anything to worry 
     about. In elementary school she developed attention issues 
     and by the time she was in middle school, she had some 
     problems with anxiety. Doctors said Kathrine was borderline 
     and never formally diagnosing her or prescribed medication.
       Socially, Kathrine thrived. She had many friends and always 
     went out of her way to take care of the underdog. She was 
     filled with energy for the people around her and believed 
     that everyone deserved love, no matter what.
       During Kathrine's senior year of high school, she got her 
     CNA nursing license and started working in a local senior and 
     rehabilitation home. She was the youngest employee at the 
     facility. She adored her patients and they loved her right 
     back. However, during this time, Kathrine became involved 
     with people who introduced her to illicit substances. This 
     led her down a path that would eventually take her life.
       At 18 years old, Kathrine realized that she wasn't just 
     partying hard but drinking to blackout. Bad things happened 
     to her when she was drunk and of which she had no memory. She 
     was scared and did not want that to be her life. Kathrine was 
     mature enough to check herself into a treatment center and 
     then join a sober living community. And it worked, it really 
     did. For a year, Kathrine was clean, sober and self-
     supporting. She was happy again, she was beautiful, and her 
     family was full of hope.
       When Kathrine turned 19, she was excited about the future 
     and felt strong enough to live alone. She moved out of the 
     sober living community and signed a lease for her own 
     apartment. Unfortunately, she wasn't ready. Kathrine told her 
     mother that she wanted to see if she really had a problem or 
     could learn to drink like everyone else. And so she drank. 
     One night about four weeks or so after moving into her 
     apartment, Kathrine was drunk when someone told her, ``keep 
     still,'' and injected heroin into her hand. That moment was 
     the beginning of the end. Twelve weeks later, Kathrine was 
     dead. Her first overdose was her last.
       Kathrine, who was nervous that wanting a glass of champagne 
     on her 21st birthday, never made it to twenty.

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