From Malorie’s Place 03/04/26
There are no words strong enough for the day a parent loses a child to overdose. It has been 3 years today.I lost my Malorie’s and her children lost their mom.
The phone call.
The knock at the door.
The silence that follows.
Time stops — but somehow the world keeps moving.
At Malorie’s Place, we have sat with mothers who can still hear their child’s laugh echo in the hallway. We have held fathers who feel like they should have “fixed it.” We have listened to grandparents now raising grandchildren while grieving a child of their own. And what we know is this:
Losing a child to overdose is not just grief. It is heartbreak wrapped in guilt, stigma, anger, confusion, and love that has nowhere to go.
The Weight No Parent Is Meant to Carry
Overdose loss is complicated.
You don’t just mourn the child you buried.
You mourn the little boy who once held your hand.
The teenager who rolled their eyes but still needed you.
The adult who promised they were trying.
You replay conversations.
You question decisions.
You wonder if one more hug, one more talk, one more chance would have changed everything.
And then there is the silence from others — the uncomfortable pauses when people don’t know what to say. The whispers. The judgment. The cruel assumption that addiction was a choice and not a battle.
But let us say this clearly:
Your child was not their addiction.
They were loved. They were human. They mattered.
The Grief That Has No Timeline
Grief after overdose comes in waves:
Anger at the drugs
Anger at the system
Anger at yourself
Deep, aching sadness
Numbness that feels safer than feeling
Some days you function.
Some days you can’t get out of bed.
And both are normal.
At Malorie’s Place, we believe you do not have to carry this alone. As Malorie had said “we’re not meant to fight this battle alone”
Our Grief/Divorce Peer Support Group and Depression/Anxiety/Suicidal Ideations Group exist because healing happens in safe spaces where you can say their name out loud — without shame.
I will be starting this group:
🌊 Together in the Storm
Designed for mothers, grandmothers, and families navigating the struggles of a loved one’s substance use. This group provides a circle of support, encouragement, and resources to help families find peace and strength in the midst of the storm.
March 28th we will meet Weekly
Place: The Gathering Room Malorie’s Place
Time: 9:00 AM
Love Doesn’t End
When a child dies, the love doesn’t stop.
It doesn’t shrink.
It doesn’t disappear.
It doesn’t get buried with them.
That love needs somewhere to go.
Some parents start foundations.
Some volunteer.
Some advocate for Narcan education and prevention.
Some plant memory gardens.
Some simply survive one day at a time.
There is no right way to grieve. There is only your way.
At Malorie’s Place, we see parents who turn unimaginable pain into purpose — supporting others walking the same road. And that is sacred work.
If This Is Your Story It is my story all so
If you have lost a child to overdose, we want you to know:
You are not weak for crying.
You are not crazy for being angry.
You are not wrong for still loving them fiercely.
You are not alone.
Your child’s life mattered.
Your grief matters.
And you matter.
There is a seat for you at our table. A room where their name can be spoken. A place where tears are not awkward — they are honored.
Because at Malorie’s Place, we believe healing begins when shame ends.
If you need someone to sit with you in this pain, come see us.
Malorie’s Place
446 S Main Ave, Maiden
www.maloriesplace.org�
We are here.
And we love you through the unthinkable. ❤️