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This obituary has gone viral for its devastating honesty about drug addiction

This obituary for a young woman has received widespread attention for it’s candor about opioid addiction.

The obituary for Madelyn Ellen Linsenmeir was published on Oct. 14. She died on Oct. 7 after struggling for years with her addiction.

In the incredibly honest and devastating piece, her loved ones paint a picture of what made Linsenmeir more than just a drug addict.

<who>Photo Credit: Madelyn Linsenmeir

“Madelyn was a born performer and had a singing voice so beautiful it would stop people on the street. Whether she was onstage in a musical or around the kitchen table with her family, when she shared her voice, she shared her light,” reads the piece.

She was a member of a dance and musical troupe that toured the world, taking her to far away places like Russia and Thailand. In addition to performing, she also loved swimming, skiing, and snowboarding.

At the age of 16, she moved with her parents from Vermont to Florida to attend a performing arts high school.

“Soon after she tried OxyContin for the first time at a high school party, and so began a relationship with opiates that would dominate the rest of her life,” it reads.

“It is impossible to capture a person in an obituary, and especially someone whose adult life was largely defined by drug addiction. To some, Maddie was just a junkie — when they saw her addiction, they stopped seeing her. And what a loss for them.

“Because Maddie was hilarious, and warm, and fearless, and resilient. She could and would talk to anyone, and when you were in her company you wanted to stay.”

She was adored as a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend and mother, and being loved by Madelyn was a constantly astonishing gift.”

The obituary continues, explaining the deep love she had for her son, and how she tried relentlessly to stay sober for him. She eventually relapsed and lost custody.

“During the past two years especially, her disease brought her to places of incredible darkness, and this darkness compounded on itself, as each unspeakable thing that happened to her and each horrible thing she did in the name of her disease exponentially increased her pain and shame,” the obituary reveals.

It continues, saying that for 12 days, she was home and for the most part sober.

“For those 12 wonderful days, full of swimming and Disney movies and family dinners, we believed as we always did that she would overcome her disease and make the life for herself we knew she deserved. We believed this until the moment she took her last breath. But her addiction stalked her and stole her once again.

“Though we would have paid any ransom to have her back, any price in the world, this disease would not let her go until she was gone.”

The obituary ends with message for anyone who may be going through what Madelyn did, as well as for anyone who is “reading that with judgement.”

“If you yourself are struggling from addiction, know that every breath is a fresh start. Know that hundreds of thousands of families who have lost someone to are praying and rooting for you.”

The writer of the obituary also asks that anyone “reading this with judgement” educate themselves on the disease, “because that is what it is.”

“It is not a choice or a weakness,” it reads.

“We take comfort in knowing that Maddie is surrounded by light, free from the struggle that haunted her. We would have given anything for her to experience that freedom in this lifetime. Our grief over losing her is infinite. And now so is she.”

Click here to read the full obituary.



Send your comments, news tips, typos, letter to the editor, photos and videos to [email protected].



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