USA First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff

Dear First Lady Aimee Wilson,
I am an ambassador for the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall. I lost my husband, of 26
years, Deyna Boyd, on May 4,2020 at the age of forever 53. I was working from
home, and I had a strange feeling come over me to get up and check on my husband,
which I never felt the urge to do before. I found him dead on my back porch. His life
was taken at the hands of his best friend unknowingly giving him 2 pills. Deyna died of
fentanyl poisoning, thinking he was taking something else. His death was a complete
shock to his family and friends. That day the entire neighborhood was sent into shock
by my screaming followed by DEA, Police, Fire and rescue trucks all arriving at my
house. I lost it when I saw the label on the shirt that read “Chaplin”. I was in shock. I
mourn his loss daily in my life. I met him when I was a teen and fell in love only to find
him again years later. Unfortunately, it happened in a time of all of our lives the
Pandemic did not help at all I could not properly bury my husband and no funerals
were really allowed more than 10 people. I have tried to pick up my life and continue
on, but my heart and soul was forever ripped out of my body that day.
Deyna was an intelligent man, he had two beautiful children in their mid-20’s when it
happened, and they are still in shock and mourn his loss every day. He was
charismatic, an amazing fisherman, handyman, father, son, brother, best friend to so
many people. He was the one who was like glue in a family. He was so sweet and
kind; would do anything for anyone. I miss his laugh; he had the absolute best heart
felt laugh and was always an upbeat person. He could fix anything, he was a
hardworking man, his smile was contagious. He was Dad to Kyle, 27, and Paije ,25.
His death created a loss for more than our family, and forever changed the family
structure now. The grief at times is unspeakable, unbearable and unstoppable. I cry all
the time still relive that day in my head.
Too many lives to this epidemic have been lost, and I am committed to ending these
losses and honoring my husband, other’s lives and memories. I wish no one ever must
go through this. Our children need to know the dangers presented to them daily
around this epidemic. My husband was one of those that began addiction from an
injury at work, he was then given a RX for an Opioid, OxyContin. Which he continued
to take as prescribed and abused, for way too long. That is another subject that needs
to be addressed. We need to address the grieving of all these families. I’m hopeful as
a wife you will understand the urgency I and countless other families in Oregon feel
towards ending this epidemic, educating our children, & addressing the use of
substance users as well as those in grief.
1089