Alex M.

By Alex's mom, Diana

Alexandra Edith Mueller

LaSalle, IL

Alex was born a healthy, happy, beautiful baby; I loved her belly laughs. However, in her teen years, she started developing self-esteem issues. She wanted to fit in, have fun, and for her sneaking out and partying was fun. It was during this time in Alex's life that she met the wrong boy and the rest is history. At first, it was drinking, but then she started smoking pot, and was eventually introduced to meth. After years of us trying to keep her from this boy, who abused her both physically and emotionally, Alex decided she had enough and left him.

Alex did well for two years; received her drivers license, her GED, gave birth to a baby, started working, and taking classes at the local community college for nursing. After her first year of college, she needed to have her wisdom teeth removed, and she was prescribed pain killers for the pain. We had no idea that the medicine would make her old demons resurface, but they did.

Slowly, at first, but it was a constant spiral downward. This time, Alex could not beat her demons and she died in June 2013 of heroin intoxication at 23 years old. The baby of our family, the youngest of three girls, Alex had a bright future but it was taken from her because of addiction.