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

Dear First Lady Sarah Stitt,
My name is Kristi Russell. I am an ambassador of the First Ladies’ Drug Epidemic
Memorial Wall campaign in Oklahoma. Our goal is to have a Drug Epidemic Memorial
Wall put up in all 50 State Capitol complexes to honor our loved ones as victims of this
drug crisis in our Nation.
To successfully do this, we need your help.
I lost my precious daughter, Taylor Alexis Russell, on March 3, 2016. She is deeply
missed by her sister and two brothers, who will now have to grow old without their little
sister, and by the more than 500 people who attended her funeral.
I can’t tell you about her adult accolades, as we lost her when she was only 18, but what I
can tell you about is the baby of our family.
When Alex was just eight years old, she started playing basketball on her 12-year-old
brother’s AAU basketball team. That made her tough! She continued to play basketball,
and at the age of 12, went on to be coached by OCU’s women’s assistant coach. Their
team made it to AAU National’s in Florida, and despite only having three players for the
last game, they only lost by 1 and placed 6th in the nation. She was the only one of her
teammates to be included in the inaugural edition of AAU’s Who’s Who at 12 years old.
She had a bright future ahead of her before drugs took that away.
She loved kids and wanted to be a teacher. Despite not graduating high school, she was
one test away from getting her GED. College was in her sights, until that one fateful night.
She was loyal. She was caring. She was fierce. She believed Jesus Christ was her Lord
and Savior. She was everything, and she IS so loved.
We appreciate your thoughtful help in this matter and look forward to meeting with you.
Kristi Russell – Alexis’ mom; forever 18
Yukon, Oklahoma
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