My name is Jillana Miller and I am one of 3 sisters to Dawson. It pains me to share this tragic news… but on Friday June 20th Dawson was found unconscious.

Dawson’s journey through life was a challenging one. Perhaps it was a combination of challenging circumstances and an incredibly intelligent disposition. At a young age in elementary school our family was informed of Dawson’s extremely high test scores and suggested that he may be gifted.

As many of us know sometimes a heightened awareness makes the human experience extremely challenging. That being said Dawson struggled with addiction from an extremely young age. We are not here to analyze that at this moment… what we’d like to focus on is the human that he was.

Dawson was skilled at most things that he attempted. One of my earliest memories of him is the recollection of him learning the entire choreographed dance to Michael Jackson song, find a hat to go with the dance and performing it at an impressive level. I really wish we still had that video.. it was one that made you crack up and at the same time… be like damn… how did he download that whole choreography so effectively…?

Early in life, Dawson also fell in love with skateboarding. The hobby totally "checked out," from my perspective. It was a unique form of expression and skillfulness. Exactly what he needed. From my vantage point the skateboarding kept him ok for a long time.

As a person who knows where he comes from and how challenging it can be to process things. I genuinely understand the desire to escape the pain and confusion. All that being said, I’ve always thought… “that could totally be me…” So when he found a substance that did that for him even just for little while… at a time before the brain is even fully developed… I actually can see how he never had the ability to let go of that. While through the years of his illness, I established a certain level of protective detachment… his existence never skipped a day of entering my consciousness.

I feel incredibly lucky. The empathetic part of me always reminds me that I have always just been a couple of clicks away from falling into that system of escape. I recognize the spontaneous nature of the right influences landing in my path at the right times to keep me from falling. I am eternally grateful for that and also eternally sad that my brother did not find his equation of support.

While I felt that my calling has been to focus on shoring up my foundation and relentless work at building a positive legacy and changing the narrative... A lot of my family has genuinely dedicated their lives to saving Dawson. His father, who is a skilled artist, spent a time talking to him about the paths he could take and did his best in trying to help him get better. My father who is actually not his father at all spent time in the kitchen trying to show him an option. My older brother who has navigated addiction himself has done everything in his power to help him. My mother and my sister have never taken their finger off the pulse and have been committed to cultivating the opportunity for that young pre- addiction Dawson back.

Bring him back... The one who was such a bright light, funny, creative and genuinely so loving…

It want to keep it 100. This is so hard to write… But at the end of the day we have to pull back from the pain and focus on the blessing that he is no longer fighting the fight. He is at peace. The people who were able to experience the joy and fun with him that was possible before the drugs took over understand. He was a beautiful person… and the right combination of chemicals and circumstances took over.

We now aim to focus some of the logistics… like how can we afford to cremate him and also bring the family together with dignity to honor this young man’s life.

It breaks my heart that he had to leave us at just 31 years of age. Nine days before his 32 birthday. But I am doing my best to trust the higher power.

We love you Dawson.

Prior to his passing Dawson was sober for several months... a phenomenon that if you understand the struggle and the context... " experiencing additction from the age of 12..." you recognize the gravity of. He was excited about what life could be...

But as many addicts do... he relapsed... and his clean body could no longer tolerate the power of those drugs. Dawson was found on a sidewalk in Los Angeles.

There is part of me that wants to exclude those details... but I include them because I know how many individuals and families struggle with the painful aspects of addiction.

Our hearts are broken... our nervous systems wrecked... but together we will get through this.

We trust the universe, the source, the power that is so much bigger than us.

We are asking out community for help to execute his cremation and celebration of life… and also all of your highest vibrations of love in the direction of my mother… as I know that this has been the hardest for her.

In a world were everyone utilizing AI to keep up… I want you to know that this is just me writing unadulterated, un-edited as I navigate this incredibly painful situation. The Go-fund me offered the option of assistance with AI which is honestly tempting because it is hard to find words and really fucking hard to write this. That seems like such a weird thing to say… but we are in a weird world. Any small donation is appreciated and good vibes and healing energy in the direction of our family is appreciated just as much.