During Overdose Awareness Week and on Overdose Awareness Day, we remember the loved ones we’ve lost to both intentional and accidental overdoses as well as drug poisoning.
While my son Charles didn’t die from an overdose, his addiction was a contributing factor to his suicide, also a “death of despair.”
Over the years, so many of you have shared your stories here — stories of heartbreaking loss and stories of survival, of near misses that could have ended in tragedy.
Today, I’m revisiting and highlighting those stories to remember the lives lost to substance use disorder, substance misuse, and to recognize the strength of those who are still here, fighting for recovery and hope.
Learn more and explore resources at the official Overdose Awareness Day & Week.
Get the overdose awareness and education kit on this page. There are different signs of OD for different drugs however, included below are general signs of OD. Below, is the recovery position for all drug overdoses. And Narcan is the substance used to revive someone who has overdosed on an opiate or opioid such as fentanyl, carfentanyl, heroin, or oxycodone.
Signs of an overdose may include:
- Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
- Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
- Slow, weak, or no breathing
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Limp body
- Cold and/or clammy skin
- Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)
- Source: CDC
Articles from the Emotionally Naked Tribe About Overdose
Scroll through to find articles about a child, parent, sibling, boyfriend, and a friend, as well as overdose and drug poisoning survivors. I don’t specifically have an overdose death written by a spouse or partner although I do have articles about a husband or wife who died by suicide.
If you have written an article and a post about an overdose and I missed it, let me know.
Child
My mom lost her battle with addiction, and my world fell apart by Miranda Booher (mother, accidental overdose)
Billy Derr’s Story by Jenny Derr (son, accidental overdose)
Separation, connection, and my son’s death by drug overdose by Sara Daves (son, accidental overdose)
Remembering Daniel Louis Rafferty by Teri Rafferty (son, accidental overdose)
Jared’s last words by Jared Murphy
Sam’s Soul Journey. A mother’s grief by Lynda Harrison Hatcher (son, accidental overdose)
Dawson Pettit’s Story by Laurie Pettit (son, accidental overdose)
In memory of Thomas McCue by Vasiliki Canotas (son, accidental overdose)
Taylor Rhodes was from a normal family by Kerri Rhodes (son, accidental overdose, video)
JHW Foundation and Collegiate Recovery by Roz Watkins, Founder, JHW Foundation (son, accidental overdose)
Grief is like a chronic disease by Omar Abubaker, D.M.D, Ph.D. (son, accidental overdose)
Drug addiction was never in our family plan by Braxton Collier
Remembering Jeffrey Scott Maurer II by Ms. Dawn Burton (son, accidental overdose)
Jared’s last words by Jared Murphy Submitted by Maureen Mahaney (accidental overdose)
Jilly’s Hearts– #griefheart number 293 by Jayne and Anne Moss (daughter, accidental overdose)
My beautiful daughter, Brenna LeFleor, died of overdose by Marta LeFleor (daughter, accidental overdose)
What I want you to know… by Mary-ellen Viglis (son, intentional overdose, suicide)
Love, by Chaney’s Hands – #griefheart number 20 (daughter, intentional overdose, suicide)
Pain medication leads to an endless cycle of family pain by Cathy Jo Harper
I am really pissed by Jenny Derr
Jilly’s hearts —#griefheart number 293
Parent
My mom lost her battle with addiction and my world fell apart by Miranda Booher
Memories of Making Hot Sauce with My Dad by Ava Schrage
Addiction and substance misuse pose a safety risk at work. A personal story. by Leslie Hanson
Honoring Ronnie Lewis Farrow with ‘The #URockProject’ by Jon Farrow
Sibling
Remembering Scott Neal Zebrowski by Jill Cichowicz (sibling/twin brother, accidental overdose)
How is grief like nesting dolls? by Susan Casey, MSW, MFA (sibling, accidental overdose)
Reflections of losing my twin brother to overdose by Jill Cichowicz
Review: Rock On-Mining for Joy in the Deep River of Sibling Grief by AnneMoss Rogers
Boyfriend
My boyfriend died from a drug overdose by Victoria Kiarsis (boyfriend, accidental overdose)
Friend
Miss you, Blake. Miss your sweet messages by Anne Moss Rogers (friend of Charles’s, accidental overdose)
In memory of Christopher Baker, a wonderful human being by Anne Moss Rogers (friend, accidental overdose)
Article from someone in recovery who later lapsed and died from OD
I have been clean for 4 months, 1 week, and 5 days by Kendall Baker
Articles from Overdose Survivors
In April 2020, my life almost came to a halt by Jessica Donovan Amend
Addicted, pistol-whipped, raped. Help came from the most unlikely source by Courtney Nunnally
A Dance with the Devil. My son’s decades-long battle with addiction and recovery by Connie
I Hate Heroin a poem by Daniel Hlawacz
Confessions of a teenage addict by AC Osberg
Not staying quiet on addiction by Stephani Morris
My love affair with heroin ended with recovery by Honesty Liller
AnneMoss Rogers is a leading wellness and suicide education expert and one of the top mental health speakers and suicide prevention speakers. Known for her powerful, motivational keynotes, AnneMoss combines her personal story of loss with proven strategies to help organizations build a wellness culture that drives results and saves lives. She speaks at conferences, workplaces, K-12 schools, and universities, delivering impactful presentations that inspire change and promote mental health awareness.
AnneMoss does this work in memory of her son, Charles, who struggled with anxiety, depression, and addiction, and died by suicide at age 20 in 2015.
I had a situation with my neighbor’s son. He took an overdose of benilin. His sister rushed to me, shouting for help, saying “my brother has drugged himself and he has fainted. I rushed to his house, only to find a man laying on the floor hopelessly. I also rushed to my next neighbor who owns a car. I requested him to quickly follow me to the our other neighbor’s house where incident took place. He also saw the situation, and went back to get his car. We rushed the boy to the hospital. Upon arrival he was given some charcoal to neutralize the toxic. Right now, the boy is around, survived a tragedy.
The reason behind was he said that the father doesn’t care enough, because he has failed to take me to college. So I am so glad, Madam Anne Moss Rogers, for the article, of notification about overdose day awareness falling in 31st August 2025. I really appreciate for your effort. We will participate on the the event. Stay well.
Wow, Spider, what a story! You saved a life because of your fast thinking. Benylin, too, contains DM. I appreciate all your efforts in Africa. Thank you for being aware of this day and for commenting.
Thank you for sharing this piece and the links to the various stories about addiction. All too often we judge these people as akin to worthless and not contributing to society (a somewhat moralistic topic within itself). But I challenge people who think this way, to go and read about the people who have died. I saw a site that displayed numerous photos of people who died from an overdose, along with the stories about their individual lives. It was so heartbreaking as I read about these people and their pain – I sat in front of my laptop crying and crying.
These were once parents, friends, cousins, siblings, pet owners, people born children as you and I – people with dreams, and maybe dreams yet still unfulfilled. They were the children of parents and the friends of friends and people who were known by others besides. They were not worthless people. The fact that people remain who will pine for their loss, that is the proof that these people mattered…They mattered for they touched the hearts of others.
My own niece is on Ice. Her brother died years ago in a car accident and she never did get into speaking with a counsellor or other therapist and so her pain sought relief in another avenue – an avenue called Ice. Now she is a bad girl on ice she is difficult to be around but she really tries when she is clean, to be the girl we known is still there. As to her drug addict boyfriend, well the family (though not her parents), want him away from her as being a bad influence. Rightly or wrongly, I see it a different way.
She will probably never have a boyfriend who isn’t able to relate to her – her as she is on drugs. Nor he from the perspective of a girlfriend. But together they at least have one another – not perfect… an indeed, it is far from perfect and probably not healthful. But it works for them. When I see her or him acting bad, I pull them up about it; when trying to alter their situation, I embrace them both as worthy folk. Some say my attitude is wrong and yet whilst condemning me, they never do reach out to embrace these two young folk who are simply struggling with an addiction which is unenviable for them to live through at times.
Thanks again for this excellent article.
What a thoughtful soul you are. Somehow you show love even when the person you love is hard to be around. Thank you.
AnneMoss, thank you for this great resource, we will make sure to share it with our communities here in KC. On a different note wanted to share an update regarding our Sister inlaw Janice Fielding, who went home to haven on Aug. 1st, we will miss her greatly and thank all the well wishers and prayers warriors for the thoughts and support in these last couple of years in her battle with cancer. Please express our graditude.
Andy Tilton Family & Charlie Fielding Family
Thank you Andy for all you do in memory of your dear son, Adam. I’m so sorry for your recent loss.