Lost Angels: Honoring Children Taken by Overdose Through Shared Grief and Support

I started Lost Angels, a bereavement group for parents who have lost children to overdose, because no one should have to carry this kind of pain alone. In our meetings, we hold space for grief—raw, sacred, complicated grief. We talk, we cry, we remember. Together, we create a place where that weight can be shared.

My son is always my inspiration. Losing him shattered me, but his love continues to guide me. The other mothers inspire me too. Week after week, they show up—broken open, yet full of strength and love. Their presence reminds me why I keep going: so no parent ever feels they must stay silent in their sorrow.

At the heart of this work is the desire to break through stigma, isolation, and the silence that surrounds overdose deaths. I wanted to create community where there was none, a place where our children’s names are still spoken, and where our grief is not hidden or sanitized.

This work also gives something back to me. It keeps me connected to my son, and it helps me carry the grief instead of being crushed by it. Contributing gives my pain a purpose, turning loss into something that can hold and heal others. Out of loss, something new is built—a space that holds and heals, where love continues to grow.