What was decided for Red Ribbon Week (Drug Awareness)
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive October 2006:
What was decided for Red Ribbon Week (Drug Awareness)
DS Brett wil be giving a speech about drug awareness to the 5th and 6th grade class at his school.
Here is the speech: I did blank out a few things just because of search engines. Please let me know what you think. We are very proud of Brett for doing this.
Hi my name is Brett ******, some of you may know me. I am a 6th grade student here at ****** **** Regional. I have a great family my Dad Dave, Mom Kathy , Sister Stephanie who is 23 and resides and works in ********t, a Brother Tom who is 20 and is a junior at ************* University, my Sister Alissa who is in kindergarten here at ****** **** and my Brother Josh who is now in heaven, and in memory of him I am here to speak to all of you for Red Ribbon Week.
My brother Joshua David ****** was born on October 28, 1985 in Carbondale his parents are David and Lynn, he was educated in the St Rose school for his elementary years and then attended Valley View High School.
Josh enjoyed many things during his life, including fishing, hunting, quading, skiing. Josh also enjoyed being a jokester with all the people he knew.
I enjoyed many days fishing with my brothers Josh and Tom.
On December 13, 2003 at 9:44 p.m, My family received a phone call from my sister Steph that something was wrong with Josh and he was being taken to the Mid Valley Hospital.
Steph had found Josh unable to breath and passed out in his bed. At this point we had no idea what was going on. Dad rushed from our house to the hospital only to get to the hospital and find out that Josh has passed away due to a prescription drug overdose. The drug that took Josh's life was Fenalyn a patch that is used to help other people with pain due to cancer or serious illnesses. Josh was sold this drug by a person who had these drugs in his hands and was just trying to make money to support his own drug habit. As we can speculate at this time the person that sold my brother Josh this drug, told him how to use this drug, in which was the wrong way and that is what took my brother life.....he was lead wrong by this drug dealer and this does not surprise any of us....As drug dealers will lead any person in the wrong direction. Please save yourself and your family and do not use or consider any kind of drugs.
My life and my family will never be the same after Josh's death. Nobody will ever know what its like to go to your brothers high school graduation to only see a empty seat where Josh should have sat. I live my life everyday thinking about what it would be like if Josh was here....would he be in college, would he have a great girlfriend, a good job, just to have him here would be the answer to all these questions.
But due to drugs I will never know what my brother Josh would have become. I just hope that nobody here has to think about terrible things like this due to a family member death due to dangerous drugs.
I ask all of you to please Stay Away from Drugs so that you or none of your family members have to deal what myself and my family members have had to deal with the loss of Josh......
But we had to move on ...On behalf of myself and the memory of Josh, please think twice and say no to drugs.
At this time I would like to say a special thanks to Mrs. Longo, all my teachers, staff and family who have supported me in the past 2 1/2 years...You have all helped me so much...
Thanks Again.
And there will be a slide show from pictures we picked out... Here is the link for the pics
Josh
Wow, I don't know what to say.
I'm sorry for you loss Kath, but this is such an honor for Brett to be passing this message along.
It is never too early to early to speak on drug awareness.
Wish him good luck.
What a great speech. Hopefully, it will make some kids think twice. This month's Reader's Digest has an article about kids going to "pharming" parties, where they pool prescription narcotics and ADD meds, into a bowl and they take them like skittles, also adding alcohol to the mix.
I was telling Emily how narcotics already depress your body, making it harder for you to breathe and then you take alcohol and it makes it worse. Then she got to that part of the article, that talked about how it could be fatal.
I hope this means she will never get involved in that kind of party. She seemed pretty shocked that kids would even have that kid of party.
Thanks Marg and Dawn....
Dawn ,Thats a new one to me kids doing that I just wish and hope kids are becoming more aware of how drugs ruin your life. As much as we all preach it doesn't seem to matter to some kids and grownups.
One of the things they do, is to crush a timed-release oxy-contin pill, so they get the whole dose all at once. Obviously, this pill can overdose with one pill, if you crush it! It's designed to slowly release the pain medicine over 24 hours! I think you only take one a day, if you are taking it properly.
The speach is great and the message is clear. ((((Hugs)))) to you and your family!
What a wonderful speech and tribute to Josh. I only hope and pray that kids get the message. Brett sure is a one of a kind kid to be able to do this.
{{{{{ HUGS }}}}}
I love his speech! I think it will have a big impact coming from him, someone their age, who they can relate to. I think it is wonderful he is doing this.
How brave! I'm sure it will make an impact...I'm sorry for your loss. {{HUGS}}
Brett read the speech to his reading class yesterday and his teacher said he did a great job!
Hoping he can do good tomorrow, which I am sure he will
{{{{hugs}}}} Brett is doing a wonderful thing standing up infront of everyone and telling his story. You should be very proud of him.
Speech is at 12:15, I have my box of tissues ready!
I think he will do fine. We will be there by his side, myself, DH, DSD,DD,my Dad,SIL and good friend are all going to support him.
Wow... that is an amazing speech, being delivered by an even more amazing boy! You should be very proud!
Good luck to him and the your family today!
{{{Hugs}}}
So how did he do? The thought of him giving this speech brought tears to my eyes. How are *you* doing, Kathy? {{{Hugs}}}
He did GREAT!!! There wasn't a dry eye in the auditorium. The funny thing was he looked so small behind the podium He was interviewed for our local paper about his speech and they took his pic. So that will be in next Tuesdays paper. I am so proud of him. I will post some pics on the pic board.
What a wonderful speech! I think that your ds's willingness to stand up and talk about your family's tragedy is remarkable. How proud you all must be and I'm sure that Josh is smiling down from heaven.
All I can think to say right now is 'Wow'. My eyes are not dry now.
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