'Stop the Pain' That Comes with Heroin: Open Letter to Hudson's Youth

This is an open letter to Hudson’s youth by Greg Berg, father of Ellie Berg, who died in September. 

It’s been one month since my daughter Ellie Berg lost her battle with Heroin addiction, leaving a major void in our life that will never be filled again. Ellie was only 20 years old and had so much more life in front of her. I truly miss Ellie; I love her and will never forget her.

I can’t say enough about the love and support that our friends, family and the Hudson community has given us. If Ellie would have known the love and support that everyone has shown after she died, it possibly would have given her the strength needed to keep fighting her addiction. We’ll never forget how everyone was there for us in our time of need, plus we can never show enough gratitude for everyone’s support during this time.  

But the purpose of this letter is not to dwell on the past, but to look forward and begin the healing process. I hope in our own way that we can help the Hudson community get over this epidemic called drug abuse. It needs to stop and it needs stop now! Youth of Hudson, too many of your friends, classmates and in some cases brothers or sisters have died from drug overdoses in the past few years in our community. The amount of deaths in a community of Hudson’s size related to drug use is unacceptable.

Hudson youth, drugs like heroin are a one-way street to self destruction. You can’t use it once and then be done with it. It’s not how that drug works. The drugs will get their claws into you, and they won’t let go. Don’t start down that path. There are safer ways to have fun and to be “cool!” Drugs are not the answer, they just create more questions. Questions like: what could you have accomplished in your life if you hadn’t ended it by doing drugs. Or who are you going to hurt this time by doing drugs—yourself? Your friends? Your family? Most likely the answer is “Everyone listed above.” Again, don’t start; there are better approaches to have fun.

Choose your friends wisely. If you feel that you need to do drugs to impress the crowd you’re with; run the other direction. Run fast and never look back. Those supposed friends aren’t worth trying to impress by doing drugs. Nobody is!

Kids, if you know someone who is using heroin or any other drugs, talk to them. Tell them to quit. Tell them to get help. And inform their parents about your friends drug use. It might be the only thing that will keep them alive. Please don’t allow that drug to hurt anymore family’s in Hudson. Hudson has had way too many deaths in two years related to drugs. Let’s stop the pain.

Youth of Hudson, if you know who is selling the drugs, turn them into the authorities, either the police or your school counselors. These drug dealers are killing off your friends. Think of all your friends or classmates who have died in past two years. Enough is enough! Get the dealers off the street, stop the pain now! Many of you know where the drug houses are; get those addresses to the authorities. The people in those drug houses aren’t your friends. They have killed enough of you.

If you are using drugs or alcohol, get help before it’s too late. Make something out of your life. Make people proud of you, including yourself. And by all means, don’t get someone else started on the drugs. If you get someone started on drugs and they die, you’ll carry that guilt around with you the rest of your life. It’s not worth it!

The youth in the 1960s rebelled against their parents and the authorities by using drugs like Heroin because they thought it was cool! Many of those youth died or ended up ruining their life. Same thing is happening now! Heroin had basically disappeared for years. But now it’s back. Today’s heroin is worse than ever because it’s so pure and potent now. Don’t start.

It’s time again for the youth to step up and rebel! But this time, rebel against the drug use. Work with your parents and the authorities. You yourself, stay clean! It is time for the youth to rebel against using drugs. And it’s time to get the dealers off the street. Stop the pain! Enjoy a long and safe life!   

Related at Hudson Patch: 

• Greg Berg: My Last Words to My Daughter Were, 'Ellie, I Love You'
• In Loving Memory of Ellie Berg
• Rep. Dean Knudson Backs Bills on Heroin Abuse, Awareness
• 'Heroin in Hudson': The Full Video
• Police: Hudson Has Got to Get Handle on 'Bizarre' Heroin Problem