William August Engler

William August Engler

Faithful, persistent, athletic, handsome, brilliant, loved nature

When asked about August, his mother, Sharon, said this: “Auggie was a force to be reckoned with on this planet. He was compassionate and kind and loved his family very much. He was also quiet and thoughtful and always ready for a joke.”

The oldest of five children, Auggie was born with a congenital birth defect; two club feet. He was often in pain, though it didn’t stop him from biking, hiking and waterskiing. He loved spending time with his siblings, Rose, Owen, Jack, and Lucy. Lucy, who is blind and severely disabled with cerebral palsy, laughed when Auggie pushed her fast in her wheelchair.

The entire family was close and loved having adventures together. They rode horses through Costa Rica, visited Maui and hiked in the Cascade and Olympic mountains. Auggie also loved rollercoasters, driving cars fast, fishing in the waters of Martha’s Vineyards sound, skiing in the Cascades and waterskiing in front of his grandparents’ house in Dash Point.

Auggie tried to go to college after graduating from high school. He wanted to be a mental health clinician or study criminal justice, psychology, and education; maybe become a detective or special education teacher. He attended several colleges, but when he overdosed, he was asked to leave. Just before he died, he was ready to start Worcester State, but never got to do so.

His parents, Bill, and Sharon, married for thirty years, never gave up on Auggie. He was in and out of detox and treatment centers over 37 times in the last eight years of his life. He wanted to get better and kept trying. Auggie always knew he was welcome to come live at home after six months of sobriety, but it was risky because his parents feared the many things that come along with the disease of addiction. They had to put boundaries and requirements in place for the sake of their other minor children. They especially feared the trauma of a potentially lethal drug overdose or poisoning in their home and how that would affect his siblings.

His parents couldn’t sleep thinking about him, police came to the house for years. There was detox, treatment, hospitals, doctors, colleges, court cases, sober living homes and more. Calls came at all hours, and a sense of panic was always present. They held the line, often wondering if it was the right thing to do. “I feel a hole and an emptiness and sadness that we could not save him,” Sharon stated. I love him so much and feel like I failed. I tried everything and never gave up, but he is no longer here and I am, with a deep sadness.”

“We decided to tell the truth in his obituary,” his mother said. “We listed the cause of death as substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health.” The family lives on a tiny island and Sharon is a special education teacher at the local school. Despite the risk of potential stigma and judgement of their family, they speak out about SUD, to bring awareness to the issue and the fact that it can affect any family.

Even to his last day, Auggie was trying to get out of addiction. Because he was relapsing, he called to get back into a detox center. They came to pick him up and called and called. His phone, in his pocket, was answered by a nurse in the E.R. It was too late.

August’s mother, Sharon Engler, provided the information for this narrative.
September 13,1998-January 23, 2024-Age 25

Portrait Artist: Theresa Clower
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois

Share this story from The INTO LIGHT Project

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

More Into Light Stories

Read more biographies from this exhibit.
Devin Hart Bearden

Devin Hart Bearden

Caring, athletic, bright, witty, attractive At 6’2”, Devin was lanky, handsome, and a natural athlete. Equally at home on a skateboard, snowboard, or when surfing, he was a pleasure to watch; so fluid and graceful. He was a good soccer and baseball player and loved hiking in nature or being at the beach, especially on the annual family beach trips to Hatteras in North Carolina. [...]
Read More »
Isaac Bastian

Isaac Bastian

Funny, smart, sweet, and a joy to be around Family and friends describe Isaac Bastian as a gentle spirit. He moved through the world with a sly smile on his face, and days full of love and laughter. Isaac loved animals, family, and friends. He had a sarcastic sense of humor, but was also attuned to what others were feeling. [...]
Read More »
Nick Bean

Nick Bean

He existed and always will. Nick’s exceptional intelligence became apparent at an early age. He took the SATs in the sixth grade, tested into the John Hopkins Talent Youth program, and frequently competed with his friends in reciting digits of pi. He excitedly explained computer functions to his father, John, whether or not John understood. In return, John taught Nick how to play baseball, nicknaming him “chicken wing” for his unique running style. They discovered, however, that Nick could pick up anything he put his mind to. In high school, he even managed a State Championship title for the boy’s gymnastics team—even more impressive considering he couldn’t even cartwheel when he joined. [...]
Read More »
Nathan Cory Bickford

Nathan Cory Bickford

Nathan was a gift from God. We are sorry we had to give him back. Described as “an old soul” by his mother, Kerry, Nathan was introverted, gentle, smart, and very quiet. “He loved his job working with horses,” Kerry said, “because they were gentle and didn’t talk, just like Nathan.” A talented pitcher, he won a special “Babe Ruth” award and also played hockey and baseball. In junior high school, Nathan was awarded a Presidential Academic Excellence award and inducted into the Junior National Honor Society for his straight “A” record. Nathan's grandfather looked on proudly as he was awarded the coveted Math Pin from a team of 80 students. [...]
Read More »

Bring an Exhibit to Your State