One of the worst things a parent can possibly go through is the loss of a child. The sorrow of such a loss is not bound by age; whether that child is 3 or 30, the wound is just as deep. It goes against the natural oder of things. Parents simply should not be preceded in death by their children.

This loss is compounded, however, when addiction and substance abuse are involved. It can be a slow process, eating away at their personality for years and wearing on the loved ones of those addicted.

Jordan Woltz was such a person. Loved by friends, family and co-workers, Woltz died of a drug overdose last year. His mother, Karen Yoxheimer, reached out to the Webb Weekly to share her son’s story with the hope that by educating others, someone else’s son or daughter would not suffer the same fate as Jordan.

Jordan Michael Woltz, born in 1983, was married and the father of three children. He was an energetic, hardworking person. A family man, a gifted cook, and a lover of the outdoors. He was respected by those with whom he worked and was willing to work along side his subordinates.

Karen, Jordan’s mother, writes, “On the day he died his boss called me twice offering condolences and said”, ‘In the history of this company we have never had an employee like your son, and he will be difficult to replace.’

On April 23, 2020, after a 15-year battle with addiction, Jordan died from drug toxicity at the age of 36. “It has been my deepest sorrow, and an ongoing private heartache. I long to see my son but not here! He endured a 15 year Tug-of-War with his addiction.”, wrote Karen.

Yoxheimer, along with dozens of other mothers of addicts, generously shared her story of heartache in a book titled Not in Vain by by Bobbie Zeimer. The book tells of the lives of mothers and their addicted children and the loss they eventually suffered due to the drug pandemic.

Not in Vain (Madison Victoria Publishing, 2020) is filled with over 160 real-life stories from grieving mothers through their initial discovery of their child’s drug abuse to their end in tragedy. The stories tell of emotional highs and lows and how their child’s addiction affected their families. They reveal things that the mothers wish they had known and done differently. It is a book about a taboo subject that needs to be brought to light if any progress is ever to made in the fight against the terrible disease of addiction.

The stories told in Not In Vain are meant to raise awareness and provide some level of comfort to families and that they are not alone. In addition, the book tells of resources that families found in their journey.

Yoxheimer writes, “The fear and heartache of it all cut deep into our family. I observed his struggle closely for years as he was in and out of recovery, but I never fully realized the dangerous toll that heroine placed on his mind and body. He told me more than once, ‘Mom, you don’t understand; I want to use every day of my life.’He was right! I did not understand until after his death the power that the drug held against him. His brain was literally hijacked! In spite of committing himself to multiple rehabs, recovery houses in and out of the area, drug court, and 12-step meetings, he was unable to achieve uninterrupted sobriety…With every memory of him now, I question my failures and wonder why I did not do more to help him. I felt so sad and helpless! If I only knew then what I know now perhaps he would still be here… My deepest sorrow!”

Drug addiction knows no geographic or socioeconomic boundaries. Education, occupation, and net worth are meaningless when one is faced with addiction and parents often never see if coming. No-one ever thinks that their child will one day become an addict, yet, whether it is through a series of events or a twist of fate, addiction can enslave even the best of us. It is only through awareness and open, honest conversations that people, families, and society as a whole will heal from drug abuse and addiction.

100% of the Amazon/KDP proceeds from both this Ebook and paperback for volume 1 are being donated to the #NotInVain nonprofit to continue supporting the grieving mothers of those lost to the drug pandemic.