Drugs are a real problem in the United States. They have been around causing problems for decades now. The drug epidemic does not distinguish by class, ethnicity or location. It has equally devastated the rich people living in high-end suburbs, middle class farmers in rural areas and individuals living in large cities. A major problem today is that illegal drugs are incredibly accessible. People are selling them everywhere. You can go online to have drugs shipped or delivered right to your door. This is increasing the number of people addicted to drugs. Additionally, it is increasing the number of deaths due to drug overdoses.
One family in Apex, North Carolina experienced a tragedy that really shows what drugs can do to a person. The family had a young son name Clay Shepard. He seemed to have a normal childhood with everything going for him. It was some time in his teens and early 20s that Clay started to use drugs. The family did not specify which ones. Clay died at the age of 22 from a drug overdose. The family was devastated. They tried to turn his death into a message of hope for other people who are struggling with drugs in some way.
The Shepherd family decided to send out a message in Clay’s obituary. They took the time to describe what Clay was like. The picture they painted was of someone with everything to live for. He was smart and funny. Clay did very well in school. He was attractive and active. He had the ability to do whatever he wanted in life. Things started to change when he tried drugs. He became addicted early in his life. It became apparent that the drugs were affecting his life negatively. He started doing poorly in school and breaking off important relationships.
The family knew that something was wrong with Clay. They reached out and tried to help him in very constructive ways. The bonds between the family members were very strong. This is what got Clay into drug rehab the first time. He successfully completed rehab and started leading a drug-free life. Unfortunately, that period did not last long. The lure of drugs was too strong and Clay fell back into the addiction. The family struggled with this for some time. Clay entered and completely rehab several times with no lasting success.
Clay was still struggling to have a life. His family tried hard to stay on top of things. His parents were careful to watch for signs of drug use or other issues. This is when the family realized that Clay was able to mask his drug use in very comprehensive ways. The family knew that he was struggling but were never sure exactly what was happening. He hid his drug use all the way up until the end. His family continually tried to reach out to him without success. The drugs had taken over and were dominating every aspect of his life. This is what resulted in his death at 22 years of age.
The obituary the family wrote serves as a warning and a reminder. It warns parents that children using drugs will hide it in clever ways. It warms about the dangers of drug addiction as a whole. It also reminds parents to have hope. It talks about loving your child relentlessly. It mentions extending a helping hand every time even when things seem the darkest. The obituary mentions that it is important to love your children always because the future is so uncertain. The obituary that the Shepherd family wrote has gone viral online and is spreading their message to others who need it.