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.
Here is what she wrote below
"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 months but 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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