Dustin Lee Drake, a loving father, a hard worker, and my best friend since age 7. He is loved and will be missed immensely.  

Let me tell you the story of how I met Dustin. We met on the playground, and both boasted that we were the toughest kids in school-which quickly led to a fist fight, to truly find out who was the toughest. While waiting in the principal's office, to receive our punishment, I was short of breath and reached for my inhaler.

 "Is that albuterol?" Dustin asked. 

"Yeah, how'd you know?" I replied. 

"Because I have asthma, too."  

And in an instant, our bond was forged. Our first scheme was to agree on a story to tell the principal in 5 minutes in order to evade trouble.  

“We’re best friends, we were just playing.” we told him.

21 years later, it goes to show, we were unknowingly being as honest as Abraham, himself.  


Dustin always saw me as his brother and that's it.  He was the kind of guy who could make anybody laugh. If you were being a buzzkill, he would call you out in a second. Any social experiment two kids growing up outside a trailer park could think of, we did.  'Shy' left my vocabulary around age 9, because Dustin had no fear.  If there was something we stood for, we would fight to the death. He was my ride or die. When his sister was born, Makayla, I began to realize his huge capacity for compassion. I saw how much love and sensitivity he had.  He did anything to help his parents with Makayla and that love and care was contagious. It was never discussed, it was just the right thing to do, so we did it. You could watch him at school and think, "Man, does this guy realize how wrong it is to (insert class clown activity)?!"  Because he would do ANYTHING  for laughs. Some semesters he lived in the principal's office.  But he knew what the right thing to do was, because while he was pulling pranks at school, he was also skipping wrestling practice so he could take care of his sister, Makayla, while his mom worked the night shift.


The immense passion inside of us stemmed from poverty and  WANTING things so badly. This individualistic, self sufficient spirit put a fire inside of us, and humor was the gasoline.  We got creative to make the most of what we had. Yet, we didn’t hate on those that had nice things, but genuinely valued the things that we did have. Growing up in such a conservative place did not destine Dustin, nor I, for success. We were eccentric and different, our shape was far outside the parameters of the cookie cutter. Not everyone handles that situation well. Dustin was not orphaned like me, he had his whole family, life and two children in this small town. I got away, but he stayed. It's a tragic story that we hear too often in the middle of nowhere, America. 


Dustin was just like me. He was my brother. He made me who I am. While I had strangers reach out their gratitude and help me get to where I am, Dustin, unfortunately did not. I NEED you all to know that my best friend is not just another statistic in this drug crisis. He was a loving, intelligent and thoughtful person who deserved more than what he got.  



For all of those who supported me, personally and professionally in Thousand Oaks and Ann Arbor, I thank you to the moon and back.  Without people believing in me, I would still be in that small town that took my brother, Dustin, from me.  


Huge thanks to Todd & Jill Kaufman, Sean Henson and his family and the extended Bailey family.  You've all been there and didn't have to be, and I am forever thankful. 

Dustin always wanted to ensure security for the future of his two beautiful daughters. We are all deeply saddened by this loss. His humor and loyalty will be remembered forever.

The Dustin Lee Drake fund will be preserved for his two daughters, Cianna and Lillian’s future. This fund will be managed by Dustin’s best friend, Lerone Howard, and he will ensure that they can pursue the extracurricular activities, camps and scholastic events they wish to attend. Please, extend your compassion, and contribute to the family of Dustin, in honor of him, so his girls can continue to feel his love and care even in his passing.