We began this month with a brave Manhasset parent sharing the story of her son's heroin overdose so that other families should not experience burying a child. How did this happen in Manhasset? Sadly, drugs are easy to buy, and thanks to cellphones for pre-arranging discrete meeting places in town, drug dealers are not easy to catch. As Christine explained, her son did not start with heroin, but alcohol. High school can be difficult and her son used alcohol to deal with his feelings. Alcohol is a depressant so it did not help. Once a child is 18, a parent does not have the ability to intervene with medical help. Another Manhasset parent shared that his 23 year old daughter had died from fentanyl, the "one and done" drug found mixed in heroin, marijuana, and cocaine that is killing regular as well as one-time users. We thank these parents for sharing to help others, and repeat their advice: if you think a friend is in trouble, please let his or her parent know.
Gian Paul Gonzalez motivated about 300 student athletes, coaches, and parents with the "All In" message he has delivered to the NY Giants and around the world. He inspired us to give more than half or 85% effort as a teammate, student, or family member. Don't put something in your body on a Friday night that's going to keep you from playing your best. Don't blame your coach, your teammates, or your equipment for an outcome. The only thing that keeps you from being great is you. Only you can make the choice to give it your all. Don't back away from what is hard. Be part of the solution. Sometimes important work is done when nobody is watching.
Please help continue CASA's efforts to prevent drug use and underage drinking. Be careful not to imply that experimenting with alcohol is OK. Teens whose parents communicate that underage drinking is completely unacceptable are 80 percent less likely to drink. This may be "hard" for a few years but this is our last chance to make them strong and the investment will pay off for life. Be "all in" as a parent. Start by adding your name to the growing list of SAFE Homes, and support our future leaders.
