The following column was written by Travis Bornstein following the legislative briefing on Opioid Use Disorder. We encourage you to read this deeply profound and personal experience with opioid use and addiction in its entirety. It relays how the Bornstein family used the heartbreaking nature their son Tyler’s death to uplift others, break the stigma of addition and connect people with lifesaving resources needed for full recovery. #StandUnited #HopeIsAlive

Purpose Through Our Pain

Last week we had the pleasure of speaking to union members in Los Angeles to share our family’s story and how the opioid crisis is impacting families, businesses and communities. I shared the story of my son Tyler – an all-around athlete, an honor student, a good friend to anyone he met, and a young man who unfortunately became caught in the grip of addiction.

Let me begin by saying that we as parents we thought we were doing everything right. We had good jobs, we lived in a great community, we went to church every Sunday, we taught our kids right from wrong, and we had the usual drug talks with our kids. Never in our wildest dreams (or should I say nightmares) did we think our lives would be turned upside down by a chronic brain disease called addiction.

Our son Tyler’s first introduction to opiate prescription pain medication was at the age of 11. Tyler had broken his right elbow three times while doing things he loved, like skate boarding, snowboarding and wrestling. Tyler’s state-of-the-art surgery went so well, that Akron Children’s Hospital featured him on the cover of their magazine because he was able to get full mobility back in his arm and continue playing the sport he loved: golf.

Tyler re-injured his arm again at the age of 18, and again, had to undergo another surgery on his arm. More opiate prescription pain pills were prescribed. Little did we know as parents that prescription pain pills respond in your body just like heroin. In fact, the chemical makeup of opiate pain pills and heroin are very much similar. Had the doctor told us at the age of 11 or even the age of 18, that they were going to prescribe our son heroin, we would have raced out the door… MORE

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