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

Dear First Lady Lori Shapiro,
I am an ambassador for the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall Awareness Campaigns which are
critical not only to memorialize our beautiful loved ones, but also to mobilize our leaders, citizens,
community members, families, and friends to respond appropriately to this national crisis.
Awareness is key. Data is in; statistics are beyond shocking, and they are sickening! Where is the
collective outcry? Where is the attention that the substance use disorder pandemic demands?
I know you have three awesome school-age sons, and your amazing daughter attends The
University of Pittsburgh. How proud you must be! Our family once had the ‘typical’ dreams for our
children too. As a matter of fact, my eldest daughter attended Pitt-Main Campus as a freshman.
Boy, were we proud when she got that acceptance letter! However, on March 4, 2023, I buried the
ashes of my two daughters. My youngest daughter was killed by fentanyl on December 10, 2017,
and my eldest daughter was killed by fentanyl on January 15, 2023, while incarcerated for a
probation violation. Both of my daughters' gut-wrenching stories, like many others, would break
the average person’s heart. Kaysie and Stevie are gone forever. Stevie’s children are forever
robbed of their mother.
With so many barriers to recovery, the judicial systems are continuing to perpetuate a war against
the very citizens they are to protect. The government’s refusal to update antiquated systems,
methods proven to fail, refusal to implement harm reduction along with other proven techniques,
and finally, refusal to attack this problem with a ‘Covid-like’ response, make it clear that more
needs to be done!
Would you assist us in finding a permanent location for a Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall within our
capital? We have created two memorial walls, one with photos and one with names. These digital
walls and albums update automatically. We would also like the photos displayed in hard copy
format. The wall of names can be projected so parents can touch their loved one's name.
Unfortunately, we believe it is necessary that our loved ones be treated like victims. Many were
victims of Purdue Pharma (an American cartel). Now, they are victims of the Chinese and Mexican
cartels. Many are also victims of fatal diseases like cancer. We are using the word “drugism” for
prejudice towards drug users, like racism. This is not a political issue, a social economic one, or
an issue of color, class, or zip code, this is a national crisis. I am so very, very tired of these
senseless, preventable, family destroying deaths. Dead people cannot recover. There is no hope.
Still, I rise, in the hopes that sharing both of my daughter's tragic stories may prevent another
family from this ongoing, indescribable hell. I began to advocate so NO family would ever have to
experience what I felt after I lost Kaysie in 2017. Never did I believe I would experience it again
yet, here I am.
A group of our Pennsylvania moms would love to meet with you and work together to prevent this
from happening ever again, as it did to me.
Regards,
DeAnna Brooks St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania
829