Lorraine
"You were beautiful and I miss you every day."
Lorraine writes a letter to her brother, John, who died due to alcohol in 2020.
Hello,
It’s been a while eh! No whatsapps, texts, phone calls. I text sometimes but you never answer anymore. Not even if I send you a stupid Peter Sellars bomb gif.
That’s what I miss most, during lockdown, sending you stupid pictures, gifs and you sending me stupid pictures of what cat has been up to.
You went into 2019 sober.
At the start of 2020, you helped me with Tiger’s illness, always there to play Hello Kitty monopoly, doing what you could!
Then fecking lockdown and it all changed, I blame COVID for your death. On your own, without us.
What a life you had!
Such a clever man, such a gentleman, best brother and uncle ever! Loved travelling, loved the sunshine, dancing, singing, having fun. Brilliant at your job. So brilliant they didn’t know how much alcohol was taking you away. You wouldn’t/couldn’t tell them. On the surface you were super John, with your beautiful suit and your sales skills but underneath you were so unhappy. I’m so sorry.
I miss dancing with you.
You are so missed! I need to tell you that we had to fight people away from your funeral. What a carry on! Only 20 people, all sitting apart, no hugs. We live streamed it! Loads of people watched it. More people turned up to the cemetery than we were allowed. We didn’t care, then the hugging started, people crying, holding on to each other – we didn’t care. You were loved! I can’t imagine you would have enjoyed your dry wake much though…
You were beautiful and I miss you every day. Big idiot.
John's death was preventable.
Lorraine's story shows the devastating impact the loss of a life to alcohol or drugs has on the family and friends left behind.
We have the power to create change, especially when we come together to take action. You can support this work by agreeing to the "See Beyond" pledge below.
“I pledge to be respectful and compassionate towards those affected by substance use, including the families and friends of those who have died from alcohol or drugs.
I will show respect by using kind and non-judgmental language about those affected by alcohol or drugs.
I will show compassion by reaching out to someone who has lost a loved one to alcohol or drugs and asking them how they are doing today.”
Thank you for making a difference.
We have compiled some resources to provide support to people who are affected by someone’s drug/alcohol use as well as those impacted by the death of a loved one due to drugs/alcohol.