Beautiful inside and out! Loved by so many…
Joshua was a bright, beautiful, kind, and loving person who meant the world to everyone who knew him. He was outgoing and fun to be around with a powerful love of family, especially his little brother with special needs. “Josh was a stunning child with tight, gold curls, massive green eyes, and an infectious laugh,” his mom, Sandra, stated. He was always the tallest in the class and as an adult, his 6’7” frame could easily be spotted in a crowd.
There was nothing Josh liked more than being surrounded by family and friends. There were many family trips that he enjoyed with his siblings, Rachel, Rebecca, and Jacob. And holidays featured a big gathering at the family home where he was the life of the party.
“Josh had the most eclectic taste in music,” his mom said. He teased her, “You may be old, but you got to go to the best concerts.” Josh memorized details about bands and band members and knew the words to every song he liked. He dreamed of falling in love, having many children, and becoming a pediatrician. In the meantime, he went to law school, but as his addiction worsened, he didn’t sit for the BAR or practice law. His mom said, “He would have been a fabulous attorney, he could charm a jury for sure, he was so likable. Sadly, his dreams ended with an accidental fentanyl overdose.”
Joshua fulfilled one dream the summer before he passed away. He went back to the sleep-away camp he spent summers at as a kid, this time as a counselor. He was made “Captain of Color War” and led his team to Victory!! His mom said, “I know he’s laughing reading this now!”
“Once addiction took the wheel, the big-hearted, caring soul, that was my son got harder and harder to find,” his mom said. He became dishonest, combative, and manipulative and was often a no-show at the family’s special occasions he previously enjoyed. His family felt powerless. “If love alone could have kept him alive, he’d be here with me right now,” Sandra stated.
When Joshua died, his mom promised she would carry out the plan he had of helping others suffering from addiction. She knew this is exactly what Josh would have done himself, had he gotten healthy. She runs groups at a residential rehab center, and from the deepest part of her heart, shares Joshua’s story and her own. Sandra is grateful to speak to those seeking support and feels she gains so much in return. “Addiction does not discriminate,” Sandra said. “If it could be my child, it could be anyone.” She feels she has more empathy, less judgment, and has grown as a person. Her focus is now on how Joshua lived, not how he died. She said, “I look at his life like a big apple pie! Joshua’s life was sweet and full of goodness; the addiction portion of the pie was just one small slice.”
Joshua’s mother, Sandra Seiden, provided the information for this narrative.
May 7, 1987-March 15, 2018
Age 30-Lived with the disease of addiction for 10 years.
