Beautiful, caring, loyal, dedicated, loving
Meagan was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was a bright, beautiful person, her mother’s best friend, only child, and her world. “We were very close,” Michelle stated. “She had the biggest heart for helping other people and animals and the most contagious smile and laugh.” She grew up in a happy family and had a fun life. Meagan was close to her step-father, Mark, who was in her life since she was two, and was her coach for many years.
Meagan’s greatest love and talent in life was being a softball pitcher. She played softball from eleven years old through college. She played competitive travel league at the highest gold level, before ending her career at Carl Albert State College and Neosho Community College where she studied criminal justice. In addition to being a great athlete, she was smart, scoring above the 90th percentile on her ACT.
When not playing softball, she and her mom, Michelle, watched movies, shopped and played with the dogs. Meagan loved her volunteer work at an animal shelter and at church. She found her greatest love, her dog Rylee in the shelter while working there and adopted her “best friend.” She loved spending time with her blended family on her father’s side along with her half sibling brothers Kyle, Cody, and Cory. Meagan’s high school sweetheart, Shad, and her two best friends, Ashleigh and Brittany were always there for her.
Meagan worked as a Nike Brand Ambassador for Dick’s Sporting Goods and also had sales positions at JC Penny and Jos. A. Bank. At 24, she had a job she loved, a car and her first apartment on her own. She was proud of her accomplishments. A favorite memory for Michelle is helping Meagan find the white Christmas tree for her new apartment. “The look in her eyes and proud moment was very precious and priceless,” Michelle stated.
Meagan wanted to further her education and had dreams of love, marriage, children, and a great life, but her addiction prevented it. The oxycodone she was given for a back fracture at sixteen started her addiction. She hid her illness for years because of shame. Meagan managed her life pretty well, attending college and playing softball until she was 22; though there were up and down times. Out of college and wondering what was next after softball, her addiction worsened. Meagan sought counseling and was in recovery for over a year, when one relapse took her life. She died of fentanyl poisoning at 26. Meagan donated her organs, saving four lives.
“During the years I was experiencing the awful journey of Meagan’s struggle with addiction, I was honestly very uneducated and not aware of the dangers,” Michelle said. “I was ‘that parent’ who thought this could never happen to me. Michelle now tells Meagan’s story to others to help save lives and educates parents about the dangers of drugs, drug poisoning, and the availability of overdose reversal drugs.
“I miss my Meagan terribly,” Michelle said. “Meagan was my world, my best friend, my everything.” “I miss her precious, beautiful face, kissing her forehead and telling her I love her. I miss her big personality and hearing her come bursting through the front door saying “Mamaaaaaa” in the most loving way that made me laugh. My life is forever changed and will never be the same.”
Meagan’s mother, Michelle Shannon, provided the information for this narrative.
June 29, 1991-April 25, 2018-Age 26
Portrait Artist: Jerald Pope
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
