Marilyn Babiarz didn't know what she was getting into when she agreed to let her daughter's friend stay with them for a while. Years later, she found herself speaking at the young man's funeral after he lost his battle with heroin addiction.

"The same week [he] died, Babiarz saw a flyer for Parents 4 A Change, a local group of residents seeking to combat drug use in town. Babiarz decided to tell her story in the hopes of encouraging other families to join the group and come forward with stories of their own."

For years, she watched Mark Gilbert, Jr. struggle to overcome his addiction. He would do well for a few months, only to relapse again. Babiarz wants parents to know the dangers of drug use are real and aren't just limited to "troubled" or inner-city kids. "He was a Southington [Connecticut] kid and he used with other Southington kids," she said.

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Labels: addiction, support, heroin

Posted By: Aspen Education Group