Christmas starts in September at my house. Every year I get more and more excited about filling my home in Waleska, Georgia with joy and the spirit of giving. Some would say I go a little overboard. My husband, Kevin, myself and our three rowdy dogs live here. It’s my childhood home that I inherited from my parents. We moved in to help them from their earthly journey to their forever home back in 2015.

I have three wonderful boys: Ben, Adam & Jesse. Even though they’ve all been out of the house for 17! years, we are all as close as can be. Jesse is the youngest and lives with his son 30 minutes away. Adam is the middle and he is with his wife in California. Which is where my story begins…

On Friday, September 22nd, 2023 — Adam called me to say he had the best day ever. He shared he just got a dream job! He and his wife went to their favorite taco place to celebrate and then came back home to call it a night. Just as he was getting ready for bed, he got an out of the ordinary message on social media, “Hey. Are you Ben’s brother?”

It was Ben’s best friend. He runs the comedy club The Laughing Skull where Ben worked in Atlanta. Adam’s heart sank. His wife tried talking him down saying, “Hey, everything is okay. Ben probably told him you work in audio production. He probably needs help on something.” But it didn’t sit right.

So then Adam called me. He sounded anxious. He asked, “Hey, have you talked to Ben recently? His boss just messaged me.”

The next 24 hours were impossible. I’ve lost my sister and my parents. But there is nothing like learning that your son has suddenly, unexpectedly died. He was alone in his new apartment, a high-rise on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. He was proud of how hard he fought to get to where he was, and it wasn’t about the nice apartment. It was about making a living on laughter and friendship as a stand-up comedian.

The cause of death was an accidental drug overdose from a combination of cocaine and fentanyl.

I can't bring Ben back. Neither can the countless number of people bring their sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, or sisters who have lost their loved ones.

What we can do is make a game plan. The plan? Stop the heartache and devastation of losing the ones we love by turning pain into purpose. By raising awareness, providing support, and advocating for change, we can work together to break the cycle of addiction, erase the stigma surrounding mental health, and ensure that no more lives are cut short by the tragic grip of overdose. Through the Ben Brown Foundation, we aim to be a beacon of hope, fostering education, compassion, and resilience in the face of this epidemic.