Caring, loving, beautiful, determined, focused
Few things could prevent Liz from accomplishing what she put her mind to. Academics, sports, even hobbies and crafts—once she started something, she had to be the best at it. One moment she would practice tap dancing around the house; the next, she would pour over her textbooks with single-minded focus. She achieved top grades—particularly in math, graduated in the top ten of her class and was part of the National Honor Society. She earned a scholarship to attend Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where she made the Dean’s list in her first and only year.
Aside from being determined and highly competitive, Liz was also sweet, considerate, and dedicated to her loved ones. When she wasn’t studying, crafting, or driving her car, she loved spending time with her family and friends. Her mother, Janis, recalls fond memories of Liz and her older sister and confidante, Amy, preparing for the holidays, and hiking and swimming in the White Mountains on vacation.
Liz’s passion for her hobbies and academics waned after experimenting with substances in high school. Her goals for the future narrowed from having her own family and a degree in business to being free of substances—but it was a difficult road. Her behavior and language became extreme, alienating her from her loved ones.
“Drugs changed my Liz,” Janis said. “I did not know this child, but I knew she was in there somewhere. She told me, Mom, I wish I hadn’t taken that first pill. I will always remember that. That one pill had exponential consequences.”
Liz and her family never gave up on recovery, though the reality of the support available was grim. Few programs worked with substance use disorder, and even fewer received Liz with compassion. Some required that individuals be actively using for admission, and often the safest route was the most difficult. Janis requested court orders to commit and treat Liz to keep her safe. Janis shared: “It was a mother’s nightmare. There was no place to turn. Substance use disorder (SUD) was not treated as a disease, and the stigma was—and still is—huge.”
Liz lived with this disease for seven years. She frequented various recovery programs, appeared in court, and lived on the streets. She was arrested, beaten up, hospitalized, and jailed. Her loved ones could only support her, because it seemed no one else would.
Janis remains a fierce advocate for those experiencing SUD. She has served and continues to serve on a variety of committees, believing that education is the key to destroying the stigma. She wants to prevent others from experiencing this same devastating grief.
“I miss Liz’s smile, holding her hand, touching her face, hugging her, watching her and Amy goof around and make fun of me. I miss her and her goodness, her kindness, her tenacity. My Liz mattered,” she said. “The thousands who have died from SUD or are currently in the throes of addiction matter. They deserve the respect and services that anyone else with a disease gets. But they are cast aside to fend for themselves. How can this country do that? These are our children. I am angry with the corporations that use our children, addict our children, just to get rich. The effect of their greed is so far-reaching.”
Liz’s mother, Janis McGrory, provided the information for this narrative.
April 7, 1987-January 6, 2011–Age 23
Portrait Artist: Theresa Clower
Narrative Writer: Angela Day
