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

Dear First Lady MK Pritzker,
My name is Jennifer Carney, and I am a lifelong resident of southwest Illinois. I am writing to
you with a heavy heart, as I lost my only son, Dane Ryan, on January 18, 2023, at the forever
age of 39. Dane died from acute Fentanyl toxicity. The loss of Dane has left a hole in my
heart that is irreparable.
Dane was born on January 7, 1981, in Granite City, Illinois. He had a normal childhood,
although he was always a bit shy, he was never a troublesome child. His problem with
substance abuse began as a young adult in his 20’s, after the sudden death of his father.
Dane suffered from major depression and began using substances as a form of selfmedicating.
When Dane was 35 years old, he decided that substances would no longer rule his life. Dane
completed a rehab program and lived the next several years drug and alcohol free. During
this period, Dane was baptized as a Christian, and helped to start a Celebrate Recovery
program at our local church, where he was known as a “fisher of men”, because he brought
so many people to God and supported them in their recovery efforts. It was unfortunate that
during this period Dane suffered from the loss of an infant child and relapsed into active
addiction.
Illicit Fentanyl had replaced many common street drugs, and Dane had lost many friends to
poisoning by this drug. On January 18th, 2020, Dane told me he loved me, and went out for
the evening. I frantically tried to reach him by phone and text that night at no avail. The
coroner appeared at my house at 3pm on January 18th. Dane had been found deceased.
Dane’s memorial service was beautiful, and over 250 people came to pay their respects to
this kind-hearted, soft-spoken man, whose life had been cut short by the current drug
epidemic. Even 3 ½ years later, I am still approached by people that tell me stories of how
Dane had helped them in some way and touched their lives. I feel honored to be called
“Dane’s Mom”.
Dane is only one of thousands in our country and the state of Illinois that have been lost to
the drug epidemic. I am rallying with other parents to honor our children by requesting that a
memorial wall is placed in each State Capitol. Would you please consider helping us by
finding a place in the Illinois State Capitol to place this wall?
I am including a frame of my son Dane that currently exists on a memorial wall in Arlington,
VA.
Thank you for taking the time to hear Dane’s story and for considering my request.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Carney, Granite City, IL
305