In Loving Memory of Victoria Luke
Donation protected
On Monday, October 15th, my sister Victoria passed away at the age of 28. She is survived by her daughter Carmen, an incredibly smart and loving 9-year old girl, her mother and father, and her two sisters.
Victoria was extremely bright. Her effortless charisma and intelligence were remembered fondly by those who had the pleasure of spending time with her.
She possessed the type of wit that could make you laugh at a funeral. Her sense of humor and her lighthearted outlook on life were infectious. She was the kind of person you couldn’t help but be drawn toward. Victoria loved to challenge herself and others. Her knack for learning and problem-solving helped to better those around her. She was a loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend.
But the truth is that we lost Victoria long before October 15th, 2018.
Victoria was all of those wonderful things but sadly, above all else, she was an addict.
After nearly five years of unsuccessful stints in and out of recovery, she ultimately succumbed to the unforgiving disease of addiction.
I won’t pretend that the good outweighed the bad. Loving an addict is a difficult and thankless job.
It means being crippled with anxiety by each phone call from an unknown number. It means living in constant fear that today will be the day that your loved one will overdose. It means spending each day suffering in wait for the inevitable.
Addiction doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t know race, age, religion or gender. It doesn’t care if you’ve had life handed to you on a silver platter or if you’ve lived through unimaginable hardships. Addiction has no face. It’s your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, and the ones you love most.
Addiction took my sister, my niece’s mother, and my mother’s daughter.
Addiction broke my family nearly beyond repair, with no remorse.
We are so devastated by this loss. Victoria will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
If your loved one is struggling with addiction, please don’t give up hope. Do everything in your power to be supportive and guide them to rehabilitation before it’s too late.
Please consider donating to help my family cover the costs of the memorial service we are holding for Victoria in Richmond, Vermont on Monday, November 5th. All funds raised beyond the goal amount will be donated to the Vermont Recovery Network .
Victoria was extremely bright. Her effortless charisma and intelligence were remembered fondly by those who had the pleasure of spending time with her.
She possessed the type of wit that could make you laugh at a funeral. Her sense of humor and her lighthearted outlook on life were infectious. She was the kind of person you couldn’t help but be drawn toward. Victoria loved to challenge herself and others. Her knack for learning and problem-solving helped to better those around her. She was a loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend.
But the truth is that we lost Victoria long before October 15th, 2018.
Victoria was all of those wonderful things but sadly, above all else, she was an addict.
After nearly five years of unsuccessful stints in and out of recovery, she ultimately succumbed to the unforgiving disease of addiction.
I won’t pretend that the good outweighed the bad. Loving an addict is a difficult and thankless job.
It means being crippled with anxiety by each phone call from an unknown number. It means living in constant fear that today will be the day that your loved one will overdose. It means spending each day suffering in wait for the inevitable.
Addiction doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t know race, age, religion or gender. It doesn’t care if you’ve had life handed to you on a silver platter or if you’ve lived through unimaginable hardships. Addiction has no face. It’s your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, and the ones you love most.
Addiction took my sister, my niece’s mother, and my mother’s daughter.
Addiction broke my family nearly beyond repair, with no remorse.
We are so devastated by this loss. Victoria will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
If your loved one is struggling with addiction, please don’t give up hope. Do everything in your power to be supportive and guide them to rehabilitation before it’s too late.
Please consider donating to help my family cover the costs of the memorial service we are holding for Victoria in Richmond, Vermont on Monday, November 5th. All funds raised beyond the goal amount will be donated to the Vermont Recovery Network .
Organiser
Amanda Nielsen
Organiser
Williston, VT
