| OxyContin killed my son. This drug is handed out like | | | | kept crying and saying he was so sorry. The room |
| candy. Every year families everywhere are suffering | | | | started spinning and Michael was telling me to breath. I |
| the loss of a loved one from accidental overdoses | | | | finally screamed out, "Is Gabe dead?" Jessie nodded |
| from this addictive drug. "The Arizona Republic" | | | | yes and again said, "I'm so sorry". I remember |
| newspaper reported that Purdue Pharma L.P., the | | | | screaming, "your at the wrong house". What mother |
| makers of OxyContin, have agreed to pay $19.5 million | | | | could ever imagine she'd go through this hell all over |
| to 26 states and the District of Columbia to settle | | | | again? |
| complaints over its promotion of OxyContin. The | | | | One of Gabriel's best friends and roommate, Gerrad, |
| states complained that Purdue encouraged physicians | | | | had found Gabriel dead at their computer. He had |
| to prescribe OxyContin for use every eight hours, | | | | taken OxyContin to help him forget his pain for a while. |
| rather than the 12-hour dose approved by the U.S. | | | | "OxyContin, I hate your guts". |
| Food and Drug Administration. | | | | I belong to an online support group for mothers that |
| Off label marketing and other promotion tactics lead to | | | | have lost a child called "Angel Moms". There are |
| abuse and diversion of prescription drugs. This drug is | | | | several moms that have lost their child to OxyContin. |
| very addictive. If crushed and snorted, swallowed or | | | | One of the moms, "Diana" wrote this about losing her |
| injected the pills can produce a "Heroin" like high. The | | | | son to OxyContin: |
| lawsuit also resolves allegations that Purdue Pharma | | | | Oxycontin is a word I hate with all my heart and soul. I |
| failed to fully disclose the abuse risks of OxyContin. | | | | watched my son Travis go from a happy young man |
| I had already lost my 17-year-old son Josiah from being | | | | to a person he no longer wanted to be and one I didn't |
| killed by a semi truck. His older brother Gabriel, 24 at | | | | know. This drug was to be used for the terminally ill |
| the time, was in the car following the one Josiah was | | | | and some how down the road of medicine this |
| in. Gabriel rounded the corner of the highway and saw | | | | purpose got lost and so have a lot of our young |
| smoke and fire. He said his guts turned over inside him. | | | | people. My son became addicted to it at the age of 23 |
| There was the car his baby brother rode in smashed | | | | and died from an overdose at the age of 26 on March |
| and on fire. His brother's friends were already dead. | | | | 13, 2005. He aspirated in his sleep and his wife of 15 |
| Gabriel held Josiah in his arms waiting for help. Josiah | | | | months found him beside her dead the next morning. |
| died in Gabriel's arms. Part of all of us died that day. | | | | Travis went through "detox" 2 times trying to get off |
| 10 months later it was high school graduation time and | | | | of this drug but in the end it took his life and what I |
| Josiah wasn't here to graduate. They were honoring | | | | once knew as life it took also. I live a different life than |
| Josiah at the ceremony and invited the family to | | | | the one I once knew, but when a Mom looses a child |
| attend. Gabriel called me that evening and said he just | | | | they loose a part of themselves that will never return |
| could not endure the ceremony. I told him not to worry | | | | until they are reunited with that child again. I watch the |
| about it that the rest of the family could represent us | | | | news and see just about every day something on it |
| and he told me he loved me. | | | | concerning the growing addiction to prescription pain |
| The graduation was excruciating for us. Every student | | | | pills and Oxycontin is the leader. This saddens my |
| walked by this empty chair and laid a rose on the chair. | | | | heart for I know if it isn't stopped there will be more |
| The empty chair was my baby boy Josiah's. Oh God | | | | Moms who will have to walk away from a grave and |
| how it hurt. I was so thankful Gabe wasn't there to | | | | leave their child and their heart there as I did one rainy |
| endure this. | | | | & cold morning. Diana |
| When I had spoke to Gabriel earlier I never dreamed it | | | | There are many families suffering from losses like |
| would be the last time I ever heard my son's voice. | | | | Diana's and mine. If you know of one or your family is |
| It was around five in the morning and my son Jared | | | | suffering, there are support groups to help. I've told you |
| knocked on my bedroom door and said someone was | | | | about "Angel Moms". You can find them at A |
| here to see us and it was an emergency. There stood | | | | nationwide support group for parents and |
| Jessie and Michael, two of our boys best friends. I | | | | grandparents is "Compassionate Friends". They have |
| knew it had to do with Gabriel because Jared was | | | | chapters all over the country. Just visit |
| home with us, Josiah lived in Heaven and Adam was in | | | | compassionatefriends.org. Both of these support |
| Virginia at the time. I asked, "Is it Gabe?" Jessie just | | | | groups have saved my life. |