An open letter to opioid sellers, users and parents

Main photo: Ryan Courteaux’s funeral day and when his friends and family went mudding, as it was something Ryan loved to do. When they got back a white light was shining on his truck. The photo was taken from a drone by the Courteaux’s cousin. Inset: Ryan, left, and his brother Jamie (Submitted photos)

This is an open letter to anyone who sells opioids, the users of deadly drugs and any parent who has children of any age.

By Jamie Courteaux – Special to the Sydenham Current

So with the passing of my brother Ryan, it has been a whirlwind of emotions for myself and I’m sure, my friends and family.

I feel like I will never find any type of closure in his passing, but I also feel that by writing this letter that it will help me get things off my chest that must be said.

I’m not going to lie, I’m very pissed off and certain things need to be said.

Now I’m not just writing this letter for myself, but I am writing this letter in hopes that it might just ultimately save one person from ever trying opioids, it might get one parent to talk to their children about these drugs that are killing people, it might get one dealer to consider a different line of work and ultimately get people to understand that a fair amount of these drugs out there are highly addictive and sometimes hook people on their first time using.

You will have to forgive me, I am not an English major and I am sure there will be many grammatical errors.

But I am writing this letter with 100% raw emotion.

So where do I start, well I guess the best place to start is from where I believe is the beginning of my brother’s drug problems.

Approximately 10 years ago Ryan was coming home one night when his truck left the road and proceeded to strike a hydro pole.

The blunt force of the impact caused a boom box that was mounted behind him in his truck to strike him in the back of the head, causing him severe pain.

Upon seeing a doctor about his pain, Ryan was prescribed Oxycontin to help him deal with the pain he was suffering.

Over time Ryan became very addicted to these and then got into many different drugs to help feed the addiction that ultimately, I believe, was started by our amazing medical system. A lot of medical professionals receive kick backs for prescribing them instead of giving out the old Tylenol 3’s like we use to get.

That’s a whole different story for another time.

Over the years it was like watching a very slow car crash, no matter how much you tried to help him, the opioids had a hold of him and ultimately do what they do.

Ryan came from a very loving family who would do anything to help him get better.

If anyone knows my parents, then they would 100% agree that they are two people who have the biggest hearts and would help anyone in need.

I have seen my father help so many people in times of need, but feel helpless when he tried everything under the sun to save his son, and ultimately the drugs won.

So I am writing this letter to let everyone I mentioned prior know that drugs don’t only affect the person using them, but they affect everyone who cares about the person using them.

I cant explain how hard it was to bury my younger brother, to see him with tubes coming out of him everywhere, hooked up to machines, looking frail and weak, to see my other brother and sister hurting so bad.

To watch my mother lose her baby boy and sobbing in my arms and see the strongest man I know crying, questioning what could have been done different to save him.

No parent should have to bury a child.

I can’t imagine their pain.

But nothing broke my heart more than watching my 8-year-old nephew, who I love like my own, walk in the funeral home, stand back about 15 feet from his daddy’s casket for a couple minutes and then proceed to walk up to the casket and just start bawling.

I’ve never felt a sicker feeling in my stomach than I did seeing that.

Just picture your child having to see that.

So anyone who is reading this, if you have a child who you are concerned might be hanging around the wrong crowd, or a friend you are worried about, then don’t wait to talk to them about the dangers of drugs because I don’t see this opioid crisis ending anytime soon.

I have two boys myself, who are 11 and nine-years-old.

I talk to them about this all of the time.

What to say or do if they ever are offered.

They are never too young to be prepared.

I know that by the time they go to high school and if these drugs are around, they will be prepared.

I feel communication is the only way we can beat this.

You can’t save the world from drugs, but you can save your own kids.

Don’t be scared to have the awkward conversation with them.

Because you know what is worse than having an awkward conversation with your kids… is burying them.

I know Ryan was an adult and not a kid, but I feel educating your children early is seriously the best preventative measure.

We obviously know our government won’t do anything about it.

I am not going to sit here and say Ryan was a victim in any of this and he definitely wasn’t innocent.

He was an adult and made decisions that ultimately took his life.

But when you are dealing opioids you have to realize that you may not be pulling the trigger, but you are loading the chamber.

So wouldn’t now be a good time to look into a different profession?

A lot of you out there must have a guilty conscience?

Lets put an end to these drugs that are killing people.

Nobody wants to grow up being a drug dealer.

So get your self together and stop selling this garbage… get a real job.

So if you are a person out there selling opioids and other types of drugs that are killing people, it’s never too late to change.

If you are a parent of a child of any age, please talk to them now, don’t wait for the right opportunity.

That might never come.

If you know of anybody who might need to read this, then please share this and maybe we can save someone.

Thank you for listening.

I have created a Facebook group in memory of my brother Ryan Courteaux.

It’s main purpose is prevention of children ever trying these harmful drugs.

The link can be found, here: Educating our children on the dangers of opioids

I just really love and miss my brother!

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