Story: Shaun Lewis & Family

The story is about a young man named Shaun who last year tragically lost his long struggle with addiction. According to his mother, Jackie – whom Kathryn and Larry had the opportunity to meet with in May – his story began in all too familiar fashion. Shaun was just a middle schooler when a doctor prescribed him addictive pain pills for a health condition. Neither Shaun nor his mom were aware of the type of medication he was receiving.

Eventually, the doctor stopped treating him when a drug screen turned up marijuana. The result of being cut off from his pain medication was devastating. Soon Shaun was experiencing painful withdrawal symptoms that forced him to look for relief.

Like many in the same situation, he found that relief on the street, and soon was taking dangerous illegal drugs. Trying to save him took an enormous toll on his family as his mother lost everything attempting to fight a condition she knew nothing about.

Unfortunately, Shaun died at the young age of just thirty-four.

But his tragic story doesn’t end there. Before his death, Shaun had a daughter with a woman who also struggled with addiction. That girl was only 7 years old at the time of the death of her father, a man she called her hero. Now, that girl is being raised by Jackie, since the girl’s birth mother also died of addiction. 

All these months later, Jackie still mourns her son every day, calling him her best friend on earth. 

Today, Jackie works together with his daughter to cope with their loss. They miss everything about him, including his love, kindness, and crazy sense of humor.  As Jackie has said, “We can't hear his voice, hug him, talk to him, play together, laugh together.  Our lives are forever torn to shreds.”