When you get a call at 1:45 to get a girl on a flight to detox and rehab at 3:30 and I can say “YES!” thanks to YOUR donations! Hope is taking flight!
I am reminded of the power of a word. HELP. It’s sad that often it’s so hard to say but once you do there is an army waiting to do it. I hope that if you are struggling to say it, just do it.
North Shore Drug Awareness began as a gathering place on Facebook. The founder, Tracey Janine Farrell, had recently been dealing with the death of her son from an accidental overdose and a daughter newly in recovery. During her son Kevin’s addiction, she found that she was very much alone when it came to finding treatment for him. Sending him to treatment for the first time in 2010, the hospital that he went to for detoxification was unable to obtain an authorization for him to have a continuum of care at a local rehabilitation center. Tracey took on the legwork herself and was able to obtain the authorization. Had it not been for her persistence he would have just been sent home.
She certainly felt alone as a mother of a person with a Substance Abuse Disorder. She knew of no one else whose child was also abusing prescription pills. Tracey certainly didn’t have the knowledge of what was wrong and right in dealing with his drug use. She struggled to find any help or resources. Kevin had been to detox and rehab more than once. Never did any of the counselors speak to her about what she should be doing to help her son recover. Substance Abuse Disorder is a family disease. It affects every single person in the household. Sadly, Kevin’s disease progressed to the point that heroin was the only choice for him financially. Kevin did reach the point where he wanted to be free of the daily struggle that goes with being someone who is addicted. He thrived at rehabilitation and began to live life again. Kevin was just shy of 90 days clean when his sister found him in his bed. He had passed from an accidental overdose at the age of 26.
Tracey was asked to speak and share her experience for the first time about a year after Kevin’s passing. Unfortunately, Kevin was not the only one dealing with heroin addiction as the abuse of heroin was becoming rampant in her area of the North Shore of Long Island. This is when she found her voice. She no longer felt so alone, she felt empowered. She began to collect and share as much information as she could find on local Facebook parent and community pages. She began telling her story. Her list of resources and contacts grew as she developed relationships with local schools, community organizations, politicians, counselors, etc. She was receiving messages from parents and family members who felt helpless as they struggled to find help and treatment for their loved ones. This led to the necessity to have all of these resources and information in one central location and North Shore Drug Awareness came to fruition. Every person who joins NSDA knows it is a place of Awareness, Communication, Education and Support. NSDA is a group with no judgment and a sincere desire to end the stigma of Substance Abuse Disorders. We share our failures and our successes to help one another. We share our experiences with facilities, doctors, and support groups. We support one another through some of the most difficult times we have ever experienced. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you are truly not alone and have the support of hundreds when needed.
As NSDA continued to grow and help people find the treatment they need through their large network of resources, Tracey wanted to do more. It is often recommended that someone seek treatment away from the triggers that home often represents. Too many parents have exhausted their retirement funds, the kid’s college funds, and even have taken out second mortgages to fund treatment. There’s a need to help people get to treatment. Tracey wanted to form a foundation in Kevin’s name to help with the financial burden that comes along with this disease. From this need, On Kevin’s Wings-Hope Takes Flight was founded as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization to fund transportation to individuals who were seeking treatment away from home. Whether it be by air, train, bus, or auto – On Kevin’s Wings will fund every person seeking assistance as long as it is a referral by one of their resources or they are going to an accredited rehabilitation facility. On Kevin’s Wings holds fundraisers throughout the year to continue to fund these chances at a sober life that every person suffering from a substance abuse disorder deserves. Please consider a donation so that you, too can give them that chance they so deserve.
IF YOU SEE OR SUSPECT DRUG ACTIVITY
Call Suffolk County’s HOTLINE NUMBER!!
New York State’s 911 Good Samaritan Law Protects YOU. The New York State 911 Good Samaritan Law allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they are having a drug or alcohol overdose that requires emergency medical care or if they witness someone overdosing.
Kevin as a child was kind and compassionate. He was an amazing big brother to his sister Breanna. He loved video games, bike riding, drumming, and the NY Giants. And he especially loved playing football. He started playing at the age of 8 and his talent and leadership qualities made for a great quarterback. As with any sport, injuries will happen. He sustained multiple concussions throughout his 8 years in football. His most serious concussion changed him. He began to anger quickly, showed agitation, signs of depression and had horrible migraines. After a shoulder injury at football camp at Penn State University it was determined that Kevin needed surgery. He was 15. After his surgery in 2002, the doctor prescribed 60 Vicodin pills. At no time did we have any idea that these were addictive. Vicodin appealed to Kevin’s injured brain, as they made him feel good again, “normal.” As soon as those 60 pills were gone they refilled for another 60 with no problem. The doctors at that time were misinformed by the pharmaceutical companies about how addictive these opioid medications were. Kevin became addicted and would spend his lunch money on Vicodin throughout the remainder of his high school years.
Unfortunately marijuana also helps with depression and anxiety and Kevin started smoking. We as parents were not happy or understanding about why he smoked. Sometime in 2010 Kevin stopped smoking, but went back to pills.
This was a young man who went to work every day and paid his bills. Still socialized with his friends and was in multiple bands. Kevin was fun and funny. He had a somewhat sarcastic way of being funny and had the best laugh. Kevin was the guy all of his friends went to for advice. He had a thirst for knowledge and was normally watching the Discovery or History Channels. He also had a knack for electronics and computers, so often his friends came for help with that as well.
Kevin never seemed high. I believe he would use just enough to feel better. He went to detox and rehab on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, his disease progressed to the cheaper, easily available option of heroin. This is when his life tumbled out of control. He was eventually asked to leave the house and began to sell all of his possessions. He had already stolen so many of his family’s items and was even writing bad checks. Luckily, in the summer of 2012 Kevin sought treatment on his own. This is key. It doesn’t work until they want it for themselves. Kevin thrived at rehab this time. His wonderful personality and leadership skills made for a great leader even at rehab. He seemed to adapt back into life as a sober person. He went back to work, had a new girlfriend, and seemed to start to be living life again until the day of September 10th, 2012, when his sister found him dead in his bed of an accidental overdose. Sadly, someone in recovery may have a trigger to make them use once again and their system is no longer used to the drug. Money was thought to be the trigger for him and the medical examiner confirmed that the amount he used would not be deadly other than to a person who had been abstinent. This beautiful boy was taken from our world. Through this foundation he will have a legacy that follows the way he led is life, always there to help another even in his own troubling times. He has some friends who are also now in recovery and I have often heard “I think Kevin may have died so I can live.” On Kevin’s Wings will continue to work hard so that others may also live.
It is often recommended that an individual dealing with alcohol or drug addiction seek rehabilitation out of state. Often the triggers of behaviors surrounding their home area and not conducive for their healing. On Kevin’s Wings is a non-profit organization that helps fund airfare to those seeing out of state rehab.
Call: 631-743-6732
Email: nsdaa15@yahoo.com
***NEW EVENT LOCATION**
The Band Together for Hope even will no longer be held at Schafer’s. The new location will be at Recipe 7 in Miller Place (the old Napper Tandy’s).
275 Rt. 25A, Miller Place (Friendly’s/Powerhouse Gym Shopping Center)
Click on each headline to read the article
Mather Hospital
Support group for families dealing with problems relating to drugs, alcohol, behavioral problems and interpersonal relationships. Registration not required.
Friday, 7:30-9:30 pm, Conference Room 1
For information, call Marian at 631-219-4838
http://www.kenpeterscenter.com/
http://www.familiesinsupportoftreatment.com/
https://www.facebook.com/drugaddictionhelpandrecovery/
http://www.locallinkrecoveryservices.com/
Every Monday 7-8:30pm
First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown
175 E. Main St., Parish Hall
Smithtown, NY 11787
Dan W. 631-877-2212
Parent Support Group
Every other Wednesday 7-9pm
Alternates with their Bereavement Group
The Healing Center
Jefferson St. Rocky Point, NY
631-838-8582
Family and Friends Support Group
Monday 7-8:30pm
1 High St, Port Jefferson NY
631-445-3126
Thursdays 8:15-9:30
200 Wilson St Port Jefferson Station, NY
John Venza 631-357-1705
Parent Bereavement Group
3rd Wednesday of each month Patchogue, NY
4th Wednesday of each month Shirley, NY
Linda 631-804-6322
Huntington Outpatient Facility
Peer to Peer Support Groups for families affected by the loss of a loved one due to substance abuse or an overdose.
631-351-5723 for dates and times
For any adult who lost someone to addiction
Last Thursday of every month 6pm
Wm. Floyd Family Center
338 Blanco Dr
Mastic Beach
Call Donna 631-874-1318 or Dezni 631-874-1327
A Bereavement Support Group for those who have lost a loved one from the disease of addiction or alcoholism.
Meetings: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month
Time: 7pm-8:30pm
Place: Hope House Ministries,
One High St., Port Jefferson, NY
631-928-2377
Wednesday’s at 7:30pm
Setauket Presbyterian Church
5 Caroline Avenue
Setauket, New York 11733
First Presbyterian Church
175 East Main Street
Smithtown, New York 11787
Tuesday’s at 7:30pm
On Kevin’s Wings needs YOU! We have fundraisers throughout the year. We are always seeing donations of raffle prizes but more importantly we need the funds to ensure we never have to turn someone away. Please consider a donation and help Hope Take Flight.
