Beautiful human taken too soon
As a child, George was smart, affectionate, funny, and outgoing. He played defense in hockey, football, and lacrosse, and was also a member of the Chess club. George loved music, fishing, and spending time with his family. He loved his mama’s cooking, especially on his birthday, when he would get to pick his favorite meal and enjoy a homemade birthday cake. Among his family were his parents, Susan and Tom, his sister Erin, and his brothers, Michael, and Eddy. He was very close to his family and loved sharing meals with them.
Though he loved his family tremendously, as a teenager, George began struggling with mental health and addiction. He started self-harming, drinking, and isolating himself. As a result, many problems arose, and he got into trouble at school and with the police. This prompted his family to begin the never-ending treatment programs where George was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This took a massive toll on their family as they struggled to find the help George needed.
Eventually, they found a treatment program in Tewksbury, MA, where George stayed until he was 18. After leaving the treatment center, he went to live in a halfway house where drama ensued, and he came home to live with his family. It wasn’t long before George relapsed and had to leave his family home. They saw him intermittently as he went through several treatment programs, struggling to get sober.
His family still remembers all the beautiful, good things about George, and they know that his addiction was not his choice or his fault. They are proud of George for how hard he fought to overcome his substance use disorder, and they miss him every day. The hardest part of watching her child try to deal with addiction, Susan said, was how he became more distant and struggled to be present with his loved ones. She says that grieving for a child who was still alive changed her forever.
Susan asks that people be kinder to those facing addiction because it is a debilitating disease that is not the fault of those who suffer from it. It is heartbreaking for the family and friends who love them. She misses her son constantly, his smile, his hugs, the bright, and handsome man that he was, who just didn’t have the strength to overcome such an all-encompassing illness.
George’s mother, Susan Daley, provided the information for this narrative.
November 3, 1989–July 26, 2018-Age 28
Portrait Artist: Elizabeth Jones
Narrative Writer: Victoria Estes
