I HAD A HORRIBLE FEELING that late October Friday in 2012. God knows, I’d been in that situation many times before – wondering if Austin was OK. But this time felt different. That Wednesday, he leftvoicemails that sounded confused – from a friend’s phone, because Austin had misplaced his, again.
On Thursday, Austin sent texts from that same phone. Something wasn’t right. I called the friend I didn’t know and told him I was concerned about my son, and asked him to have Austin call me. Several hours later the friend called to say he went to Austin’s apartment but no one was home. I thought about getting on a plane to New Orleans to make sure everything was all right. I don’t know why this time seemed so different; I just knew it was. A few hours later I received a blocked call. I couldn’t answer in time, and there was no message. Three minutes later a call came in with a New Orleans area code. It was the coroner saying my beautiful boy was found slumped over his kitchen table, dead from an opioid overdose. Austin’s journey was over; mine was just beginning.
Like every son or daughter, Austin was a wonderful person. He had his issues, but mostly he was just a kid trying to grow up in a world that throws endless challenges at all of us – some we understand, some we don’t; some we share, some we keep hidden deep within. A loving boy with a huge heart, incredible mind, and amazing sense of humor. He was on his way to becoming a world-class guitarist. Austin loved John Mayer and was nearly as good.
Denne historien er fra Issue 61-utgaven av Rye Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Issue 61-utgaven av Rye Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Becomes A Landmark Most?
I AM KNEELING in damp grass marveling at an anachronism in the world of Ubers and Waze: a sandstone marker about two feet high, handcarved with an old fashioned “24 M…” and missing its remaining “iles to New York.” It is mortared into a long wall and looks out on US 1 like some Knight Templar of American history. In the 1800s, this is how you might have found “the old Jay place” in Rye. Even with its inscription fragmented, it conjures visions of mail carriers on horseback, with dirt-streaked, buckled shoes wedged into stirrups looking for a familiar guidepost to tell them the distance to their secret assignation or a good beer down the road.
The Case For Taking A Gap Year
ACADEMIC BURNOUT is a growing issue for students across the U.S. Far from being “the best years of our lives,” most will recount that high school was like living on a conveyor belt of SAT tests, extracurriculars, and self-doubts while under extreme pressure to rack up achievements that might help you to stand out from the crowd. Students graduate with a sigh of relief, hopefully anticipating a future full of opportunities, only to be body-slammed by another four years of even more intense academic pressure. Some students roll with the punches and learn to juggle essays and schedules and “adulting,” but a growing number are being leftbehind.
Scott Swimming Pools
Scott Swimming Pools, Inc. is a luxury design-build swimming pool company celebrating its 80th year in business this year.
One Atlantic Events
Over the ocean, your perfect special event venue is waiting.
Everything We Love Is Locked Under Glass
Everything We Love Is Locked Under Glass
Humanity First
Humanity First
Our Little Racket
Our Little Racket
Chicken McMansions
Chicken McMansions
Footnotes From The World's Greatest Bookstores
TRUE TALES AND LOST MOMENTS FROM BOOK BUYERS, BOOKSELLERS, AND BOOK LOVERS
The Opioid Crisis: One Man's Journey And A Nation's Challenge
The Opioid Crisis: One Man's Journey And A Nation's Challenge
