Megan Kelley, Forever 22, is currently voiceless so I am her voice. On April 14, 2015, I received a phone call at 5 o'clock that changed my life forever. That's when I learned that my youngest daughter, Megan, had died from a drug overdose--forcing me to join a Club I never wanted to join.

 

One month after Megan's death, I shared her story for the first time at the high school where she had graduated from in 2011. I share Megan’s story of family addiction and loss with students, parents, organizations and community members to help prevent others from walking in Megan’s shoes, as well as to prevent other families from experiencing a devastating forever loss of a family member to his or her addiction. Addiction does NOT define anyone. I am committed to doing what it takes to make sure another family does not have to endure what our family has had to face on a daily basis.

 

What happened to Megan and our family can happen to anyone! Education and prevention are the keys to helping stop the national Opioid Epidemic. I also recognize that methamphetamines currently surpass heroin usage. Vaping by middle school, high school and college students iis a huge issue. Nicotine is as powerful to one's brain as heroin and cocaine.