In Memory of Alyssa Renae Rith (Hoiland)

July 8th, 2021  is a day that no parent, anywhere should ever have to experience and the life they are now faced with for the rest of their life!

The day, Todd and Lea Hoiland, and their son Austin would be informed that their 20 year old daughter and sister had died, suddenly, unexpectedly and was found, alone, in her apartment.

 

That summer morning started off with Todd & Lea flying back from N. Carolina after an amazing week with incredible friends. They spoke with their daughter, Alyssa, before departing to confirm she would be picking them up from the airport when they landed later that evening. Alyssa was excited, because they would also be staying the night with her in her new apartment before they drove back to Idaho, where they lived.

 

Their flight would connect through Dallas, before arriving in Seattle. They landed in Dallas, where they disembarked the plane, with plans to connect to their next flight. Upon entering the Dallas terminal, they turned on their phones to check emails, text others, etc. upon turning them on they both found they had missed many many calls, from numbers they didn’t recognize. Todd called one of the numbers back, to be greeted by a female, who said “someone wants to talk to you” and a gentleman got on and informed him he was a police officer and they were at Alyssa’s. The next words would forever change Todd and Lea’s life…….Alyssa had passed away.

 

The result of Alyssa’s unnecessary death, was due to fentanyl!! She had ingested a Xanax that someone had given her, and turned out to be one that had been cut with fentanyl. Her death was relatively immediate.

 

Alyssa was an amazing young woman, with drive, focus, and all who met her, instantly fell in love with her and her kindness and energy.

 

She had plans...many and big plans, she was a planner, working towards her real estate license while working at a high end restaurant, and had mapped out a trip to Greece, complete with all the expenses she would need to save for, from all the meals to hotels, to experiences/tours, etc. so that she could save all the money she needed to make this trip.

 

Her family does not want her death to be in vain, not just another statistic, but rather to raise awareness as to the reality of the dangers of ingesting, injecting or smoking any drug, be it illegal, or the practice of borrowing medication from others. My name is Kathy Heitmann and I am honored to have been asked to make this happen, that’s where I come in. As well, as our family friend, Doug Lasca, who suggested the idea and is working it’s me.

 

Here is where you come in, we are in need to raise funds to put up Billboards in and around the area she lived, where her friends live, where people drive by routinely, to be seen!

 

Any amount no matter how small will contribute to making this happen and support Alyssa’s family’s desire to reach others, even if it saves 1 life! It’s one family who they will have helped by saving their loved one, through awareness!

 

Our goal is to raise enough funds to keep the Billboard /billboards up for at least 6 months. The cost for 4 weeks (1 month) is $2,500 for 1 billboard which could go up in the first quarter of 2022. I am looking to have at least 3 billboards along the Des Moines, Federal Way and Tacoma thoroughfare. PLUS “posters” which are smaller style billboards and are $120 for 4 week runs.

 

We will utilize all funds to keep as many up for as long as we can until the funds run out.
Please share this with your friends, family and anyone else you believe whose heart would be touched by this.

 

Thank you on behalf of Todd and Lea Hoiland, and family!