A Mother's Pain: Losing 'My Nick' Helped Her Save Countless Lives

GUILFORD, CT – Connecticut ended 2017 with more than 1,000 drug overdose deaths – or three per day in our small state. The number of people, mostly young, dying from the heroin and opioid epidemic keeps increasing. This despite the Herculean efforts of people like Guilford’s own Sue Kruczek, who has become one of the leading spokespeople concerning the opioid epidemic plaguing the state.

She has received letters from the president, been at the side of the governor, and has told the story of her son's tragic death due to a drug overdose to dozens of groups around the state.

Recently, she wrote a personal note, on her thoughts about what has life been like for her since the death of her son, Nick, at age 20. Kruczek goes in-depth on the pain she's feeling concerning the loss of her beloved son.

Sue Kruczek’s own story was one of the best read stories on all the Connecticut Patch websites in 2017. Close behind was one written by her daughter, Haley, who wrote of her own personal trauma concerning the tragic death of her older brother.

See related: Mom Pens Heartbreaking Note About Losing Her Son to Drug Overdose

Sister Pens Heartbreaking Note About Brother's Overdose Death

Sue Kruczek’s thoughts on the impact her efforts to the drug epidemic plaguing Connecticut’s families?

“I'm being told high school/college kids are now aware and afraid of the deadly consequences of experiencing with opioids and are staying away more and more.

“That makes all the painful forums of reliving Nicks story of addiction and telling his story with a slide show of his life playing behind me worth it. Getting through to kids, educators, coaches, parents, etc.

“I know we have saved many and helped prevent other parents from not traveling the horrific road of life after child loss.

“Unfortunately, it comes at the cost of me losing my most prized possession.

“My Nick.

“It doesn't get easier. It doesn't get better. Time doesn't heal the pain and giant hole in your heart from child loss. You just learn how to push forward.

“Am I proud of having the most popular article in 2017? Absolutely.

“But, I have to admit when I really think deeply about it it leaves me feeling strangely. It doesn't feel right getting so much attention from an article about the death of my child. I do have to remind myself that unfortunately I can't go back in time and "fix" the past.”

“But, I can march forward and help fix the present and the future. That makes me smile. I know I have the best guardian angel leading my way.”

Submitted photo