Victoria was a natural caregiver. She was a wonderful big sister to her six younger siblings—she cherished her rescue dog, Zen, and volunteered at a local animal shelter. Our beautiful daughter was vivacious, independent, and smart beyond her years.
Her smile was like the sun shining. But that all changed, slowly and almost imperceptibly, until she was gone. It is hard to believe that it has been almost 10 years since we lost Victoria to a drug overdose at just 18 years old.
When she passed away on June 6, 2015, our world was shattered. I was devastated and tried to understand a situation that just didn't make sense. Victoria kept a diary in her bedroom, which she filled with drawings and everything she wouldn't—or couldn't—tell us in person.
She expressed feelings of loneliness and frustration. She wrote of broken hearts and broken friendships. And she wrote about using drugs to dull her pain.
By the time Victoria entered high school, the girl who used to love school dreaded going. She started skipping classes and her grades dropped dramatically. Although we attributed Victoria's behavior to being a typical teenager, we sent her to a psychiatrist for professional medical advice.
The psychiatrist diagnosed her with anxiety, and prescribed medication. When Victoria was still acting out months later, the psychiatrist increased her dosage. It was still no match for her ongoing mental health struggles.
The smart and loving girl with everything to live for spiraled into drug addiction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( ) recorded nearly 110,000 deaths from across the United States. The circumstances for these overdoses are unique in every case, but we know that environmental stressors, physical ailments, mental health deterioration, genetic vulnerability, and declining social trust are exploited by the 24/7 drug supply.
The drug overdose epidemic is causing devastation in every corner of our country. Although it feels like an uphill battle, as bereaved parents we cannot give up the fight to save other people's children. We hope to break the pattern of silence surrounding drug use by helping parents recognize the signs of it in their children—the very signs that David and I missed so many years ago.
Victoria's behavior at home and school was not "routine"—it was a sign of something much more pernicious that required earlier intervention. While we support efforts in research, drug treatment, recovery services, harm reduction, and illicit drug interdiction, we know these are long-term solutions. This is why we advocate for the short-term impact of naloxone.
Last year, the that reverses the effect of a drug overdose, restoring breathing and consciousness almost immediately. Naloxone is safe and easy to use and is harmless if given to someone not experiencing an overdose. Victoria still had a pulse when her first responders arrived at our home, but in 2015 they were not carrying naloxone.
We believe if they had, it may have saved her life. Opioids—a class of drugs that includes heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers such as oxycodone—comprise the majority of overdose deaths, according to the . Having naloxone handy, and understanding how to use it, is a simple way to save someone's life.
I have learned the painful way that overdoses can and do happen to anyone. The increase in drug "poisoning" by dealers who mix street drugs with synthetic opioids is driving up the number of unintentional overdoses in every community in the United States. Naloxone can play a vital role in saving unsuspecting victims from this deadly scourge.
In many states, a prescription is not required to obtain naloxone and some departments of public health provide it free of charge. Desperate with grief and a desire to do something in Victoria's name, my husband, David, and I set up the Victoria's Voice Foundation (VVF), dedicated to providing evidence-based drug education and prevention support. Since its founding five years ago, VVF has impacted more than one million parents and children through a national platform that includes , a program that helps parents recognize the early signs of drug use in their kids and , a campaign to increase awareness of opioid overdose reversal medications.
In 2023, VVF spearheaded the approval of a bipartisan congressional resolution recognizing June 6th as —an observance we support annually. We couldn't save Victoria, but I will spend the rest of my life honoring her life and legacy. Because of her death, many more people will live.
That is my promise to her..
