Mother Refuses To Gloss Over Addiction And Overdose In Daughter’s Obituary

In 2014, opioids were the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with more than 47,000 overdose deaths. Kelsey Grace Endicott was a Massachusetts 23-year-old with a toddler son, and a will to live. But in early April, after 10 sober months, she lost her battle with addiction. Her mother, Kathleen Errico, refused to gloss over the tragic realities of her daughter's life.

In Kelsey’s obituary, Kathleen wrote about her death from overdose, the struggles she faced from age 14 until her death, and also about the need for more awareness, more services for addicts, and more understanding about the nature of the disease of addiction. Kathleen Errico joins Here & Now’s Robin Young.

• Kelsey Endicott’s Obituary
• Kathleen Errico’s Eulogy
• Learn to Cope Support Organization

Guest

• Kathleen Errico, mother of Kelsey Endicott.

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