In Memory of Sarah Gray-Perez

This is a tough post for me to write as I am still a bit in shock. It is also difficult because I am not typically someone who shares such a personal story but hopefully in doing so maybe one life can be saved. I have lost far too many people and so maybe now was the time to share.

My beautiful niece Sarah Gray recently passed away very suddenly at 42 from a seizure. She leaves behind her amazing saint of a husband, her beautiful, kind and intelligent son and a house full of feral cats.

Her story is both happy and sad. Similar to many families we have a history of addiction to drugs, alcohol and prescription drugs. We also have a history of mental illness in our family and it would seem that often these two go hand in hand with one another.

A couple of years ago we were sure that we were finally going to lose Sarah to her troubled past. She had made the decision to attempt suicide, for the I don't I don't know how many times as I had really lost count. She took pills, drank alcohol and hoped that this time would be the last. By some incredible miracle she came off the ventilator and she started to slowly make her way back to the living. She was mad as hell when she woke up and realized she was still her but over time I think that she realized just how blessed she was. There was an outpouring of people who were praying for her recovery and I think she was a little taken aback by this when she found out.

Amazingly an organization SHE RECOVERS? Foundation reached out to Sarah after hearing her story. It was through that group that Sarah actually found her voice, her strength and her way back to her loving husband and her amazing young son. She found a group of #strongwomen who gave her the courage to tell her story and to become a voice for others.

Sarah was loud, passionate and loved so fiercely and with all that she had inside of her. She fought so many demons from the time that she was a young girl. Sometimes it was hard not to be so mad at her and think about how selfish she must be to not have the decency to think about how her actions were affecting her family and friends. But what I have learned about addiction is that it really has nothing to do with being selfish and that if she could have stopped she most certainly would have. I have seen that with so many other members of my family. We are oftentimes too quick to condemn those who suffer instead of embracing them and understanding that it isn't about us. We also have to have the strength to sometimes walk away knowing that no matter what we do until they are ready nothing will change.

Sarah had just celebrated two years of sobriety. She was getting ready to head to Miami in May to speak about her experiences with addiction and mental health. She was doing something that she loved, taking care of cats, when she had a seizure that took her life. I said to someone that sometimes death is a cruel mistress. How could this have been the thing that would take her away from all of those she loved and who loved her? But in her death she has left behind a strange and amazing legacy and something so incredibly positive.

We have seen such an outpouring of love and support from all the people whose lives were touched by Sarah. Whether it was just a kind word, a care package, a voice on the other end of the phone or a long a deep relationship.

In memory of Sarah and to keep her spirit alive and her mission strong SHE RECOVERS? Foundation created these tee-shirts. Please consider buying one to help support this amazing foundation https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loriwindfeldt?ref_id=17357&utm_campaign=17357&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=The%2BRecovery%2BHour%2BPodcast.

You could consider donating in memory or in honor of someone that you know or love who has or is suffering or is in recovery.

Make sure to hug those close to you and appreciate every moment that you have together. Life is so short and so precious. We forget that so quickly when we get focused on all that is bad in this world. There are still many more things to be grateful about in my humble opinion.

I appreciate the opportunity to share this story and hope that maybe it will bring peace to someone out there who may be suffering in silence.

RIP my beautiful niece. Enjoy a life free of pain and suffering and rejoice in the fact that you made a difference in the lives of so many.

#strongwoman #addictionawareness #addictionrecovery #mentalheath #mentalhealthhelp #thankyou #grateful #gratefuleveryday