‘I tried to say the right thing:’ When A Parent Can’t Save Their Child from Addiction

Addiction is a complex disease, and there’s no guidebook for how to navigate it. Today’s guest on Grieving Out Loud knows that reality all too well.Leslie Collins struggled with substance use disorder for years before finding recovery. But as she began to rebuild her life, her son started down the same devastating path.Leslie tried everything she could think of to help him fight the disease, but nothing seemed to work. In the end, she made the difficult decision to try something she hadn’t before, tough love. He died shortly after.Now, through her grief, Leslie is working to raise awareness about fentanyl and prevent other families from experiencing the same loss. She’s now in her fifth year of hosting the Jolly 10K Fentanyl Awareness Fun Run.In this episode, Leslie shares her powerful story, the hard lessons she’s learned about addiction, and what she wishes she had known sooner.Learn more about the Jolly10k Fundraiser here.Related episodes: A TV Anchor Shares Her Loss to Overdose and Efforts to End StigmaHow to Live With Grief, Not Be Defined By It‘The ugliest, biggest elephant in the room:’ Confronting addiction as a diseaseSend us Fan MailBehind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated.They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.They were More Than Just A Number. Support the showConnect with AngelaFollow Grieving Out LoudFollow Emily's HopeRead Angela’s BlogSubscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily’s Hope UpdatesSuggest a GuestFor more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charityWishing you faith, hope and courage!Podcast producers:Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz