Kathie Lee Gifford Statement, Out of Line

Kathie Lee Gifford says in an interview in a recent Family Circle magazine that she may not be a perfect parent, but at least her kids didn't drop out of school, go to jail or rehab!

In other words, GOOD families don't have addicts?

You can read all the comments by going to the Kathie Lee Hoda Facebook Page from Aug. 7 at 9:20 p.m.

Here is my statement back to her:

Kathie, you were out of line with your comment in Family Circle! You owe us grieving and struggling parents a public apology! I lost my beautiful 19-year-old son to an accidental prescription pill overdose on 1-8-10.

Do you even know what Opana is? Do you know that once taken, you become hooked! Do you know that there are many pills which are highly addicting? One time is too many!

I talked to my son about street drugs and drinking. I never thought of talking to him about prescription drugs. The strongest pill in my medicine cabinet is Tylenol. My son came from a happy, loving home. He had two loving parents and a loving younger brother.

Jarrod was polite, DID NOT drop out of school, was in college, loved baseball, and bodysurfing. He also had low self-esteem and anxiety. His friend offered him a quarter of a pill. That's all it took to not be able to stop.

It's a huge epidemic, in case you're living in a hole and don't realize it. I produced a documentary. Please watch it on You Tube. Type in Overtaken Documentary and get yourself educated before judging good families.

The young adults were just like your kids. One wrong choice destroyed their teen years. They were A students, cheerleaders, college students, football players. I would love to come on your show and talk more about the epidemic that's killing our kids at an alarming rate.

Do you know that RX fatal overdoses have exceeded fatal car accidents in many states, including California?

You can email me @ jbbb1979@aol.com

P.S.: Take away the wine, as it's sending the wrong message to kids.