The number of drug overdose fatalities in the U.S. is alarmingly high. In 2017, there were 70,237 overdose deaths, with 47,600 of these attributed to opioids. According to the CDC, this figure has risen more than fivefold since 1999. Particularly concerning is the rise in opioid deaths linked to fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, since 2011.
Each overdose death leaves behind grieving friends and family, who often struggle to process their loss due to the stigma surrounding drug addiction. Individuals with substance abuse issues are frequently labeled negatively, and their families can face judgment as “enablers” or “coddlers.”
While many view addiction as a moral failure, the recovery community and medical professionals consider it a disease. Parents who lose a child to drug addiction often encounter silence from those around them, unsure of how to support someone grieving an overdose death.
MaryBeth Moore Zocco, 54, experienced this pain firsthand when her son, Ryan Moore, passed away from a heroin overdose in December 2018. Unbeknownst to him, the heroin was laced with fentanyl.
During Ryan's life, MaryBeth would send him care packages, including warm blankets and hot cocoa. After his death, she continued this tradition but redirected her efforts toward comforting other parents who had lost children to drug overdoses. She writes to them about her son and reassures them that they should focus on the lives their children lived rather than how they died.
“I wanted to do something to support other grieving parents and let them know they aren't alone,” MaryBeth told The Washington Post.
Each card she sends briefly describes Ryan’s life—his career aspirations, interests, and hobbies. She encourages recipients to remember their children as individuals rather than focusing solely on their addiction.
“At 25, Ryan embraced life with enthusiasm,” she writes. “He loved music, playing the drums, and attending concerts, especially those with mosh pits.”
Since starting her initiative in April, MaryBeth has sent over 700 cards to bereaved parents, whom she connects with through grieving websites and support groups. Among those, she has reached out to are three mothers who have lost a total of four children to overdoses.
“I can’t imagine how they manage to keep going,” she remarked to The Washington Post.
Jennifer Slater, who lost her son to an overdose, found solace in Mary’s card. “The card inspired me to keep pushing forward,” Slater said. “It gave me a renewed drive to make a difference.”
MaryBeth has named her letter-writing effort the FRoM Project, which stands for Forever Ryan's Mom. She aims to trademark the name and continue sending comforting messages.
“I’ve never been more certain about what I’m doing,” she said.