Brandon W.

By Brandon's mom, Heidie

Brandon Martin Wiesel

North Miami, Florida

My beautiful, perfect, and kind son, Brandon died on April 28, 2016 from a heroin overdose.

Growing up, Brandon loved music. At the age of 11, he began playing the piano and learned to read and play classical music. He later joined a band called Today’s Notice, and they began playing at functions. Brandon wasn’t materialistic, but he dreamed of getting his own grand piano one day.

Brandon was funny, polite, and kind. He was a best friend to me, and a wonderful grandson to my mother. He would spend most Saturdays with her, going out for lunch, watching movies, or just spending time with her.

At a young age, Brandon told us that he didn’t want to go to school anymore. We never understood why, but we agreed to homeschool him. My mother taught him, and Brandon excelled. He was naturally gifted and bright. Before he died, Brandon took the LSAT and scored a 172 out of 181 - he was brilliant!

At the age of 13, I took Brandon to a routine check-up with his doctor. The doctor asked me if I knew that my son was depressed - I didn’t know but I knew we had a history of depression within the family, so I knew we had to get him help.

From the age of 13 to 24, Brandon struggled with refractory depression, which means that no medication was able to help him. He also had severe anxiety and OCD. We tried everything to help Brandon - we provided him with a loving home, made him laugh, even tried ECT - but he was trapped in a world of misery.

Within that time, heroin came into Brandon’s life. Before his passing, he overdosed twice, but was brought back with Narcan. Afterwards, Brandon promised my boyfriend and I that he would come to us the next time he needed help. The day before his death, on April 27th, I spent the whole day with him. We went to a doctor and sat in on an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting to see if a similar set-up could help him.

Brandon died on April 28, 2016, he had mixed the methadone that he was taking with heroin.

Brandon was so much more than heroin. His grandmother always said that he was an old soul, one who was simply too good to be here. And that’s true. Brandon was a really, really good son and was good to everyone.

I know that Brandon would be proud of me for sharing his story and trying to help others.