Vibrant, charismatic, funny, family-oriented
Josh was funny, intelligent, charming, and hardworking. He loved all sports–especially playing disc golf and flag football in his free time–and he was a loyal fan of the Patriots, the Boston Celtics, and the Red Sox. When the game was on, he was very particular, wearing the same clothes, setting up the house just right, and having the perfect snacks at hand. His joy of sports was contagious, leaving a lasting imprint on his younger siblings who loved to share in his joy when his team won. His stepdad, Miguel, remembers watching the Patriots win with Josh, getting to see him completely lit up with passion and happiness. “I will never forget that,” Miguel recounts.
He thrived with electronics, receiving technical training in the United States Air Force. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and built a successful career in the Air National Guard. Later, he worked for a company that made drill bits for oil rigs. He loved his job and dreamed of finishing college and building a career in finance. In his later years, music became a primary passion.
Family was central to Josh’s life. He had two sisters, Saoirse, and Zarah, and Francisco, his brother. Josh’s family loved to spend time together. Annie, his mother, fondly remembers a family outing to the zoo to feed the giraffes. They also had a family tradition of a massive Christmas breakfast after opening presents. Josh loved having his little siblings over to hangout, play basketball, watch movies, or barbecue. He was especially close with his eldest sister.
Nobody knew about Josh’s substance use disorder for seven years. He got opioids from a pain management clinic after an unfortunate car accident. A pain management specialist prescribed him drugs, so the extent of the problem was hard to see. Until it wasn’t. Then he went through the painful cycle of treatment, relapse, treatment. The reason for his repeated use eluded him. Josh would stay up all night and sleep all day, missing family gatherings that he normally cherished. He attended treatment programs several times, working hard to break the cycle of substance use disorder.
“After he died, I died as well,” Josh’s mother, Annie, stated. They were extremely close. She misses him every minute of every day. Annie admits she didn’t understand substance use disorder while it was happening. She thought Josh just wasn’t strong enough to say no. In his wake, she now advocates against fentanyl, working to spread awareness to everybody. Josh’s little sister created a video showing how to use Narcan, and the family joined the Christi Center grief group for loss due to overdose.
Josh’s mother, Annie Hernandez, provided the information for this narrative
May 2, 1985-January 17, 2019-Age 33
Portrait Artist: Shawn Faust
Narrative Writer: Livia Cohen
