April L.

By April's mom, Annie

April Louis

Bumpass, Virginia

April was a loving soul with a huge heart. She was drawn to and good at helping others, she just didn't know how to help herself. Her smile lit up any room and her bubbly laughter was sweet music to my ears. The happiest day of her life was when her daughter was born. April had been told that she wouldn’t be able to have children and I hoped that the miracle of her pregnancy would finally encourage her to get help. Unfortunately, my granddaughter was born addicted as well and had to been weaned off with medication.

I had to take my granddaughter away from my own daughter. I know April loved her little girl, but heroin loved my daughter more.

I lost my beautiful daughter April on March 12, 2014. She was 30 years old and the mother of a 4 year old. April had battled her addiction for over seven years. During that time she went in and out of rehab, drug court and jail. She spent the last 18 months of her life incarcerated. When she came home, she seemed determined and positive about her life to come. For the first time in many years I had hope, faith and trust in her. I wasn't afraid when my phone rang. But just three weeks after her release, I got that phone call. She had overdosed on pure fentanyl and was found on the floor of the bedroom at her grandmother's house.

The hardest thing I have ever done was to tell this 4-year-old girl that her mommy had died and what that meant. We love and miss my beautiful daughter every day and will for the rest of our lives.