David Kessler

And let me start with, I was a grief expert for decades.

I had lost my mother when I was 13, horrible tragedy.

So I grew up in grief and was looking for my own healing.

And I'll tell you, when my mom died when I was young, and people will get this,

thought it was the only person that ever lost a parent.

Like, I didn't know this happened to other people at 13.

You asked about my son, David.

I adopted two boys, four and five years old.

David had been born drug-exposed.

I really thought love would conquer all.

They had an amazing childhood, great childhood.

And when he hit his teenage years, his trauma and addiction began to come up.

And I was thrown into that hell that anyone who's living with a loved one with addiction knows what that's like.

And he worked so hard to get through that.

And he struggled and struggled and made it and was doing well and met an incredible social worker.

He was dating.

And at 21, was in programs, sober, doing well.

He and his girlfriend hit a bump that anyone at 21-year-olds do.

Called up some friends.

And I'll tell you, I didn't know if I would get up again.