23-year-old Kelsey Grace from Endicott, Massachusetts died of accidental heroin overdose on April 2. Her mother, Kathleen Errico shared a powerful tribute on Facebook few days ago in which she confronts the difficulty of addiction and recounted her daughter’s struggle with drugs.
At Kelsey's funeral last Friday, Kathleen read an emotional tribute in her honour. Urged by people, she decided to share the eulogy online. Her post after the cut...
"I have been asked by so many people to share my daughter’s eulogy that I wrote and read at her funeral. I am more than happy to do so. Hopefully it will work as many miracles as her obituary has. We need to talk and educate the world about this epidemic.
My beautiful Kelsey Grace….I hope as you are looking down from Heaven that you are FINALLY able to see how much you were adored, admired, and so so loved. The amount of people that have been affected by your death is a true testament to the impact you had on everyone you met in your 23 short years of life.
Never ever did I think that God would decide to call you home so soon. It has been many long, hard, agonizing battles for the last few years and you fought like a warrior every step of the way. Addiction however, won the war. To the person who doesn’t understand addiction she is just another statistic who chose to make a bad decision. A very uneducated statement indeed but nonetheless that is what they will say along with some other very hurtful statements.
I don’t care though because for the people who do understand, this was our baby, our youngest, our child, our daughter and as a mother; my every thing. She was a mother, a sister, an auntie, a niece, a granddaughter, a friend, a cousin, a human being and an addict. With her award winning smile, sparkling diamond eyes, witty dry humor, loyalty to a fault and calming ways it is easy to see why anyone who met Kelsey instantly fell in love. She was an old soul for such a young woman and a complete throwback which made you love her even more. I had joked with her last week saying I bet if I gave you a pair of legwarmers you’d throw them on and wear them with pride. She said you know it mom! She never cared what anyone else thought and always stuck up for the underdog.
The beauty she exuberated would take your breath away. It wasn’t just beauty on the outside because her soul was just as beautiful on the inside.
Her reality was that with those sparkling eyes, she never saw what the rest of us saw. She looked in her own distorted mirror and this is what her reflection displayed; and these are her own words: ”I am someone who is determined, insecure, emotional, neurotic, shameful, cunning, angry and honest. I am everything but simple. I hate being alone yet am addicted to the feeling of sorrow and depression. I am a person who is too insecure to be loved and terrified to be broken. I am hard on the outside but an emotional train wreck deep within the heart.” Her addiction told her she wasn’t worthy or deserving. She turned to drugs to make her feel normal like everyone else. Heroin told her I can make you feel accepted, I can make you feel alright, I can make you feel worthy, I can make you feel normal, I can make you feel loved, I can make you feel nothing and make you feel like everything will be ok. What it didn’t tell her was how it would devastate her family and tear it apart, how it would take her job and leave her penniless, how it would steal her son from her arms , how it would take her home , how it would take her sparkle, how it would take her smile, how it would take her humor and how it would take and take and take until it took her life.
Kelsey had spent September of 2014 up until her passing on April 2, in multiple rehab facilities trying to fight this demon. For 2 years she had not lived at home and literally transferred from program to program in order to get her life and son back. She worked hard and fought the good fight eventually regaining custody of her beautiful baby boy Camden and finding that sobriety was a much better way to live, but the demon was still there. Kelsey had just 10 months shy of sobriety and was due to move home in 2 monthsbut God had other plans. He saw her constant struggle and decided to finally let her find peace. He knew Camden was loved and safe and it was time to have Kelsey feel the same.
Her smile, her laugh, her humor, her artistry and those eyes will be deeply, deeply missed by everyone. The outpouring of love and support that our family has received is beyond overwhelming. When Kelsey’s obituary was written my intention for it was to tell the truth in the hopes that maybe it could help even just one other person. Little did I know how it would implode. There were complete stranger’s that came to her wake because they were in our shoes and just wanted to reach out.
The parents that have lost a child to this epidemic have a bond like no other. I have read countless stories on the webpage about how the honesty has helped so many more than just that one person I was hoping for. I was also told last night her obituary has been shared over 50,000 times because it has gone viral. Channel 5 news called me and they would like to do a story about Kelsey in order to spread more awareness. My plan worked and my baby girl may not be here physically but she is working miracles from Heaven and as her mother I couldn’t be more proud. I love you my Kelsey girl. Shine down on Camden and all of us and keep working those miracles from Heaven. I love you forever and always…….
I will conclude with this:
MISS ME, BUT LET ME GO
When I come to the end of the road,
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom filled room,
Why cry for a soul set free.
Miss me a little but not too long,
And not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love,
That we once shared,
Miss me, but let me go.
For this is a journey
That we must all take,
And each must go alone,
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home."
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