Grief is one of life’s heaviest burdens, and when it strikes a parent, it carves a wound that never fully heals. This is the story of a young man—funny, gentle, and brave—whose life was cut short by the dangerous reality of mixing substances, and of a mother who turned tragedy into purpose.
He was only 19. Just stepping into adulthood, with a heart that loved deeply and a personality that made everyone around him smile. Friends remember him as the kind of person who would make you laugh even on the worst days. His mom remembers his courage—his fight to get better, his determination to push through struggles that few even knew about. But one night, everything changed. The substances he mixed silenced his laughter forever, leaving his family broken and searching for air in a world that suddenly felt too heavy.
When his heart stopped beating for him, it didn’t stop altogether. Through the gift of organ donation, his heart began to beat in someone else. In that bittersweet moment, his mother found the first glimmer of hope—knowing that even in loss, her son was still giving life.
She could have drowned in grief. Many would have. But this mother chose another path: to transform her pain into a force for healing. Out of her sorrow, she created Hula Hoop Mom, a movement dedicated to supporting families walking through similar struggles. For parents sitting in emergency rooms, for mothers crying on their bathroom floors, for families facing stigma and silence—she became a voice. Her mission wasn’t to erase grief but to offer hope in the middle of it.
Hula Hoop Mom grew into more than just a support group. It became a safe space where parents could share their stories, where shame was stripped away, and where love became louder than pain. She organized community events, spoke openly about her son’s battle, and reminded the world that addiction doesn’t define a person’s worth. He wasn’t just “a kid who struggled.” He was her son, her joy, her brave fighter—and his life mattered.
She often says her son’s legacy is not how he died, but how he lived—and how his life continues to ripple forward through every family she touches. His laughter echoes in every act of kindness sparked by her advocacy. His fight fuels every conversation that breaks the stigma. His heart—beating in another’s chest—reminds everyone that love and life are still possible even after devastating loss.
Today, when she smiles, it carries both pain and strength. She smiles because she remembers him exactly as he was—funny, gentle, brave. She smiles because she’s found purpose in helping others heal. And she smiles because she knows her son’s heart is still out there, still keeping time, still part of this world.
Her story is a reminder that grief doesn’t have to be the end. Pain can be transformed. And love, even in loss, can build bridges strong enough to carry others.