Page 8 - Addiction and Overdose: Confronting an American Crisis

Adam Kull’s mom keeps his Facebook page up so their family and
friends can post messages. “When I post a message to Adam, it makes me
feel like I’m talking to him,” Donna Kull
says. “I always hope his friends will “Adam’s sister is now an
comment on my posts.” In January 2016, only child. She will never
she posted, “We did get thru the holidays, have a sibling to share
but then we didn’t have a choice—did family memories and
we? Lots of distractions helped a bit, but holidays with. She will
there were moments. Now your birthday
is nearing and that first big snowfall is never know the joy and
sure to happen soon. I will remember wonder of being an aunt.
how much you loved to see it, anxious Hers is a long journey
to get on the mountain with your board. of healing.”
Love you.” And in July 2016, “Well Adam,
we were in Colorado last week to spread —Brian Kull, 2016
your ashes in this place that was so special to you. Your spirit will always be
present in these beautiful mountains. Love you, Mom & Dad.”
Adam’s friend James Weinberg wrote, “Miss you bro, I love you and wish
I could be celebrating with you right now. Words can’t describe the hole in
my heart I have from you not being around to hang out with every day and
to be celebrating your birthday with you right now.”
Brian Kull says of his son, “How could a child raised with so many
advantages fall prey to this disease [of addiction]? What could we have done
differently? I wake each day and Adam is the first thing on my mind. I realize
he’s never walking through the door again, not next month or next year, and
never is now an absolute. I constantly struggle to define my life knowing that
I failed at the most important job I ever had—raising my child.”

Deadly Drugs

When people hear the word overdose, they usually think about illegal
drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. And it’s true that
these illegal drugs kill many people. For example, heroin overdoses alone

8 Addiction and Overdose