You may be able to tell from my title that I have a little bee in my bonnet! I am very passionate about this horrendous problem in our beautiful valley! You see and hear about the effects of drug abuse everywhere and everyday! If we are all honest, I truly do not think that there is one person that hasn’t been touched by it in some way!

For a very long time I felt my family was safe! My kids seemed great! Our life was very normal! In many ways this was and is true! But what I now understand is we aren’t normal, we are very blessed! The epidemic is everywhere, and affecting all of us in one way or another!

I was very naive as my children were growing up! I didn’t see the enormity of the drug problem! I did not see it until one of “our own” was in a coma, on life support, fighting for his life following an accidental OD of heroin! This young man was one of my wrestling boys! My son and this young man had been in wrestling together since they were young! This young man had spent lots of time in our home! This young man comes from a good, loving family! All my misconceptions were shattered when I stood in this young man’s room in ICU! At that moment this young man was not my friend’s son, but my very own! As I stood there I saw my Baby Boy, with wires and tubes coming in and out of his body! All I could do was pray for a miracle, and so I did! I prayed along with all who know and love this young man!

I prayed, and a miracle happened! This young man woke and pulled out his breathing tube! He woke and started talking! He woke and was not a “vegetable”! He woke and was out of the hospital in one week! I witness a miracle!

After this experience I have had many more experiences! I’ve lost a young man to a heroin OD (we will never know if it was suicide, accidental OD, or murder)! The fact is a 28-year-old young man is dead! I know moms who have their children in foster care, I know young men who are in jail for domestic violence, I know grandmothers who are raising grand babies!

Something has got to change! No excuses! Starting now! Starting with me! I want to be the change...I want to see! Saturday February the 9th, from 4 to 8, at Knights Of Columbus...Healing Hearts Resource Center is having a spaghetti dinner to raise funds to fight drug epidemic! I plan to be there! I’m hoping and praying for another miracle! I want this valley to come together and stop the epidemic! I truly believe this miracle is possible! After all, I have already witnessed a miracle!!!

If you would like to be the change you want to see...COME JOIN ME!!!!

Theresa Curtis

Alamosa