$$ Needed For Funeral Expenses
Donation protected
Tommy Hayes on Monday lost his life and battle with his addiction. He was a charming young man, funny, handsome, and very loving. He care I for and loved his family more than anything in the whole World and he will be missed by so many people.
He spent eight years in the Army serving two tours in Iraq. While over there he became addicted to pain pills prescribed by the Army to alleviate his pains associated with his duties. After he got out of Iraq he continued to serve his country as a recruiter. Unfortunately, tragedy continued to follow him when his commanding officer at the recruiting office committed suicide right in front of him. Soon after this he declined to reenlist as he had had enough tragedy in his life. Because of his time at war and the things he saw and did he was diagnosed with PTSD. He continued to battle his addiction for years entering rehab after rehab. My wife(his aunt Nora) and I took him out of the town he lived in back in Massachusetts and brought him down to New Jersey to get him away from all of the temptations. We brought him to a couple of VA programs that were mildly successful. Finally, we sent him to Coatsville Pa to a long term veterans rehab. He spent a year there and got clean. Tommy did so well in the program that he was released. He, along with his girlfriend, ended up living with us for a year and he learned how to appreciate the nice things in life, take care of himself and just plain enjoy life without being high. Last year Tommy and his girlfriend went on a road trip across the US( he had always wanted to travel and see America). They drove down the East coast to Florida, across the whole South through New Orleans, Texas and then up the West Coast of California and ultimately back to us in New Jersey where they stayed a couple of more months with us. They eventually moved to Pennsylvania and got a place of their own. Tommy decided to go back to college and get a degree; he wanted to be a drug counselor. Tommy figured it was time to start helping others with their addiction. Unfortunately, he fell and once again became addicted to drugs. He and his girlfriend continued to spiral out of control for the past six months. We tried to help him and give him as much support as possible. He even recognized that he needed help and checked himself into a 30 day program. Tommy did the 30 days, but it didn't help. We didn't talk to him as much as we used to and hadn't seen him in months. Tragically, he died this week finally succumbing to his demons that he could not beat. Back in Massachusetts he is survived by his father Tom and his two younger brothers and little sister. His father is recently separated and works extremely hard to provide for his two youngest children who are 13 and 10 respectively. They are all, along with the rest of his family, completely devastated. Tommy was loved by so many people. His father Tom could use some assistance with paying for the funeral arrangements as they are $15,000.00. Originally, we thought they would be around $11,000.00, but after everything was added up the cost has unfortunately increased.
He would also like to donate any leftover money to a drug rehabilitation program in his son's name. Any donation, no matter how small, would be sincerely appreciated. Thank you. All donations will be processed for Tommy via his aunt Nora risti.
He spent eight years in the Army serving two tours in Iraq. While over there he became addicted to pain pills prescribed by the Army to alleviate his pains associated with his duties. After he got out of Iraq he continued to serve his country as a recruiter. Unfortunately, tragedy continued to follow him when his commanding officer at the recruiting office committed suicide right in front of him. Soon after this he declined to reenlist as he had had enough tragedy in his life. Because of his time at war and the things he saw and did he was diagnosed with PTSD. He continued to battle his addiction for years entering rehab after rehab. My wife(his aunt Nora) and I took him out of the town he lived in back in Massachusetts and brought him down to New Jersey to get him away from all of the temptations. We brought him to a couple of VA programs that were mildly successful. Finally, we sent him to Coatsville Pa to a long term veterans rehab. He spent a year there and got clean. Tommy did so well in the program that he was released. He, along with his girlfriend, ended up living with us for a year and he learned how to appreciate the nice things in life, take care of himself and just plain enjoy life without being high. Last year Tommy and his girlfriend went on a road trip across the US( he had always wanted to travel and see America). They drove down the East coast to Florida, across the whole South through New Orleans, Texas and then up the West Coast of California and ultimately back to us in New Jersey where they stayed a couple of more months with us. They eventually moved to Pennsylvania and got a place of their own. Tommy decided to go back to college and get a degree; he wanted to be a drug counselor. Tommy figured it was time to start helping others with their addiction. Unfortunately, he fell and once again became addicted to drugs. He and his girlfriend continued to spiral out of control for the past six months. We tried to help him and give him as much support as possible. He even recognized that he needed help and checked himself into a 30 day program. Tommy did the 30 days, but it didn't help. We didn't talk to him as much as we used to and hadn't seen him in months. Tragically, he died this week finally succumbing to his demons that he could not beat. Back in Massachusetts he is survived by his father Tom and his two younger brothers and little sister. His father is recently separated and works extremely hard to provide for his two youngest children who are 13 and 10 respectively. They are all, along with the rest of his family, completely devastated. Tommy was loved by so many people. His father Tom could use some assistance with paying for the funeral arrangements as they are $15,000.00. Originally, we thought they would be around $11,000.00, but after everything was added up the cost has unfortunately increased.
He would also like to donate any leftover money to a drug rehabilitation program in his son's name. Any donation, no matter how small, would be sincerely appreciated. Thank you. All donations will be processed for Tommy via his aunt Nora risti.
Organizer and beneficiary
Ernest Risti
Organizer
Bridgewater, NJ
Nora Risti
Beneficiary
