Dillon A.

By Dillon's mom, Dina

Dillon John Aurichio

Some of my fondest memories of my son are from when he was being a complete wise guy. On the day he was flying home from having been in and out treatment in Florida, he texted me and said they wouldn’t let him on the plane because of his guns. He was referring to his very muscular arms!!!! He would do and say things like that all of the time. I miss his sense of humor so much.

I knew my son was partaking in recreational drugs such as marijuana and possibly cocaine. It wasn’t until I got a phone call from his doctor (who is a friend of mine) asking me to come to his office because Dillon has to tell me something. He told me he had a problem with Xanax and Heroin. I was devastated. I knew enough to know there was no coming back from that. He was 18 and I spent the next 6 years doing everything I could to keep him alive.

I started going to a grief meeting a week or so after my son passed. These are my people now. People that understand my pain and heartache. I honor my son and the others we have lost to this epidemic speaking out about awareness and ending the stigma of addiction.