Ryan was, by all accounts, bright, athletic, and well-liked. He had a supportive network of devoted family and good friends. His father coached his baseball team and went with him to soccer events. However, by the time he was 16 he was addicted to prescription drugs.
At that age, he was enrolled in an inpatient rehabilitation program, where he spent 35 days. When he returned, his parents believed that the program had worked. Gradually, however, Ryan started using again. His parents were deliberating about what to do on the day they received the tragic news that Ryan was dead.
Ryan's father, Scott, has been speaking at local schools trying to educate young people about the dangers of using prescription and over-the-counter medications for recreational purposes. Ryan's mom, Charlene, commented, "Part of a parent's worst fear is losing your child ... And the second worst fear is people forgetting your child."
(Sources: www.nwcn.com)
Labels: drug overdose, prescription-drug-abuse
Posted By: jgarcia