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

Dear First Lady Stitt,
My name is Melissa Ruggles. This is the hardest letter I will ever have to write. I lost my
grandson, Hunter James, to fentanyl poisoning on 12/30/21. He was only 15.
Me and his papa had a special bond with Hunter. We were fortunate enough to spend
time with him from the time he was born until the day he passed. It is a heartbreaking
experience I hope no other family must endure.
As he grew from a baby to his teenage years, he always had an adventurous spirit. He
could make you frustrated and laugh at the same time. He loved sports and the water. He
was taught to swim in the first year of his life and never forgot from that day forward. His
sports activities were soccer, gymnastics, and taekwondo. Then came skateboarding.
That was his passion. Our family believed one day he would be sponsored by a company
who shared his passion.
While dropping Hunter off at work just a few days before his death, the last words Larry,
my husband, heard him speak to him were, “I LOVE YOU, PAPA”. The last contact I had
with Hunter was a text message I sent to him telling him “I love you!” Hunter was a special
child to everyone in our family.
One thing you could do for our family and others is help us get a Memorial Wall built with
each name of our loved ones who has died unnecessarily from these tragic events.
Thank you for taking the time to read these letters.
Melissa Ruggles – Hunter’s Nanny; forever 15
Tulsa, Oklahoma
738