“I didn’t sugarcoat this exhibit. It is reality.”

Almost everyone has been affected by addiction, whether it is first hand or a friend or loved one who has suffered. In my case it was my son who lost his battle. He was a very accomplished man who had a degree in accounting and was an executive chef. He had a great sense of humor and was loved by his many friends. He started with Xanax when his father died suddenly and then went on to other drugs. He would tell me he had to take them, not to get high, but to feel normal. He helped me understand addiction and how it takes your soul and self esteem and turns you into a shell of yourself. He hated himself and what his life had turned into.

After he passed away, it left me as a single mother with a lot of guilt. Could I have done anything to help him? I tried it all, but common sense and addiction don’t go together. As a result of my heartbreak, I, along with help from a few of my friends, created this informational art show. My hope is to prevent people from experimenting with drugs by visually showing how fast you can lose yourself to addiction. I didn’t sugarcoat this exhibit. It is meant to scare you. It is reality, and it is a brain disease.