Loved, loving, brave, beautiful soul, missed
Tylar-Ann was a beautiful, big-hearted, kind, and funny woman. She could also be anxious, depressed, and moody; a complex person. Tylar-Ann was a loving, touchy/feely child, a trait that persisted into adulthood. She loved dancing and took hip hop classes for a few years and enjoyed learning about the healing powers of certain stones. Tylar-Ann often took videos with friends showing them goofing around and going places like Halloween Horror Night. Her mom is grateful to have these recorded memories.
Tylar-Ann was born with bipolar disorder which made her anxious and resulted in periodic impulsive behaviors. The family took many vacation trips together, and there were many times when out of her routine, Tylar-Ann became angry and upset. Much time was spent trying to help her navigate and manage her emotions during those trips.
Tylar-Ann struggled with high school and finally earned her GED at 19. Her Bipolar disease and resulting anxiety made it difficult for her to keep a job for longer than a few weeks. She eventually went back to school and became a Medical Assistant. She got a job with a Nephrologist and worked for seven months before the “daily grind of a 9-5 job was too much for her to keep up,” according to her mother, Diane. “Her anxiety got the best of her. She stopped showing up and was ultimately let go.’
There were good times with her three siblings, Wendy, Mandy, and Nikki, and their children. Despite their love for Tylar-Ann, her unpredictable behavior and addiction made it difficult for them to allow her around her nieces and nephews consistently. “I always had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that she would die at an early age because of her bipolar disorder,” her mom stated. “When you add the substance use disorder, it was a death sentence for her,” Diane said.
“Tylar-Ann’s most significant accomplishment was getting up EVERY DAY and facing the demons of bipolar and substance use disorder,” her mother stated. “I wish people would realize the bravery and commitment it takes for people with these disorders to just wake up, show up, and try to have some type of normalcy in life.” Tylar-Ann went beyond that, often making a difference in the lives of others who were struggling or reaching out to people who were different.
Diane is now a co-facilitator for a local chapter of GRASP-Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing, and the Co-Chair of Project Addiction; Reversing the Stigma; now organizing as a non-profit. Her way of finding peace in her grief is to help educate and bring awareness about the stigma surrounding addiction. For this narrative, Diane stated, “After six years, it is as emotional as ever to revisit my emotions, but we must continue to speak their names and never forget how much we loved them despite the heartache and challenges we faced as they struggled with unimaginable pain.”
Tylar-Ann’s mother, Diane Stevenson, provided the information for this narrative.
November 1, 1988-February 21, 2015
Age 26-Lived with the disease of addiction 10 years
