Things in my family have been emotional recently. On Friday (June 26th) my stepbrother was found dead outside of 7-11 beside the dumpster. Some heartless asshole dumped him there.

Let me tell you a bit about my stepbrother, Joe. Or as everyone called him–Slugger.

When my daddy and his mom started dating, Slugger and I clicked instantly. We became friends and I could trust him with a lot. He and his boyfriend at the time moved in with us for a few months and he then became family. Our parents got married a few months later, so now we really were family!

Slugger was someone who would give you the shirt off his back, his last bite of food, and anything you needed to make sure you didn't go without.

After he moved out he went to Columbus, Ohio for about a year and we didn't talk as much. Then he came back to our hometown and our friendship was still just as strong.

However, one thing was different about Slugger. While living in Ohio, he became an addict.

I don't look down on addicts because I've been one. After a head-on collision, I became addicted to pain pills. Those eventually lead to coke and crack. Then one day I woke up tired of living like that, went to a doctor, and got help. I now have two years clean from drugs.

Anyhow, back to Slugger. While in Ohio he got hooked on pain pills and heroin. His addiction came with him when he moved back. Where I live is a small town, so that means the drugs are really stomped on (cut with fake dope) by the time it reaches our small town. So people do more of it, but when something real hits town people overdose because they take or do so much of it since they're used to the stomped on dope.

I think this is what happened to Slugger. He had been living on the streets for a while and was bad on heroin and fentanyl. I loved him so much, no matter what.

Last Monday he signed into rehab because he was tired of chasing the demon. However, the withdrawal was too much for him and he signed himself out Thursday night.

Thursday night/very early Friday morning Slugger text his middle man and they went to get dope from their dealer. His drug of choice was heroin, but he loved the high off fentanyl—even though it's easy to overdose and is deadly. When you're an addict, you'll do anything to stop the horrible withdrawal symptoms. It's the most awful pain.

The guy Slugger was with drove off after they bought the dope and they ran it in the car. The trap house is a few blocks from 7-11, but Idk if they went straight there or what, but that's where he was found.

Slugger overdosed in the car and the piece of shit driver drove the back alley behind 7-11, pulled beside the dumpster where you throw away trash, kicked my brother out, and left him to die.

My daddy got the call around 6:30 am. The manager (who knows my family personally) found Slugger and called daddy. By the time she found him, his fingers were blue and it was too late.

He was gone.

The cops said if that asshole would have taken Slugger to the hospital, hell even kicked him out there, he would have more than likely lived. The state will be pressing charges on the driver and main dealer. There is video proof from 7-11, plus they read Slugger's text to know the timeline.

Yes, it was Slugger's choice to do drugs, but the guy chose to not help him. To me—he killed my brother!

When you're in active addiction, you have a disease that can take over your life. That also is what took my brother from us. My step-mom lost a son, I lost a brother, my kids lost an uncle, my other step-brother lost his best friend/brother. Why? Because someone was a coward and didn't get him help.

It's been hard and my heart breaks for my step-mom cause Slugger was her baby. No mother should ever have to bury her child. I pray I never have to know that pain.

I want to say this... If you know anyone who is an addict, please don't judge them. Love them instead. Try to get them help, give them guidance, and pray for them. People don't choose to be addicts, it just takes over.

If you have any questions about addiction, please ask. I'm very open about that time in my life and want to help others get away from it too.

I love each of you!
🖤Boo