Loved, fun to be with, witty, complex. Life is a journey; Nick’s was cut short.
Nicholas was smart, funny, handsome, quick-witted, hard working and well liked. He played football in high school and was the King of the semi-formal dance. After graduation from high school, Nicholas went to Penn State, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He continued to work for Best Buy, first for the Geek Squad and eventually as the store manager. He had plans to pursue opportunities with the company and pursue more education.
Nicholas lifted weights regularly and listened to rap music like DMX and 50 cent and had a solid group of long-time friends. He purchased a home with his friend Mike, and they lived together until Mike got married and Nicholas moved in with his girlfriend. Nicholas loved dogs, especially Buddy, his girlfriend’s dog and Dutch who belonged to his grandmother, who he lovingly called “Dee Bee.” He was also very close to both his siblings, Alexandra and Zachary, who he enjoyed playing video games with. He was formulating plans with his brother to go into property management; flipping homes and renting them out, and he and his long-time girlfriend planned to marry and start a family.
Nicholas was proud of his vehicles, first a 2004 Acura that he bought when he graduated from high school and later an Audi that he saved up for and drove all the way to New York to pick up. His family was proud of his accomplishments and did not anticipate what was to happen next.
In 2011, Nicholas lost his job at Best Buy because of downsizing, which was when his involvement with drugs started. There were several interventions and time in rehab, but nothing really stuck. He wrecked his car, lost his license and could not maintain his home and expenses; things were spiraling out of control. His mother said, “After a while, he was not my son, he would close everyone out and not let us near him.” Unfortunately, Nicholas could not recover and eventually lost his life to a mixture of five different prescription drugs that he received from multiple doctors.
His mother spent countless hours compiling information about the five medical doctors who overprescribed the over 30 addicting medications Nicholas was on, and filed a lawsuit on his behalf, which she won.
His mother said: “The pain and darkness are unbearable, a huge piece of my heart and life are gone, I always assumed Nicholas would be here forever.” “His addiction did not define him,” she said, “He was loved, and he mattered.”
Nicholas’s mother, Karen Ruybal, provided the information for this narrative.
April 11, 1986-October 18, 2015
Age 29-Lived with the disease of addiction 5 years
