Opioid Crisis Has Dimples And Freckles: Woman's Powerful Obit

People stopped seeing Madelyn Linsenmeir when opiates grabbed hold of her and kept her in a fog for most of her adult life. They saw only an addict, her sister wrote in an emotional, eloquent obituary that is tugging at America's heart.

The nation's opioid crisis "has freckles and dimples on its right cheek," Kate O'Neill wrote on Instagram of her 30-year-old sister, who died unexpectedly on Sunday, Oct. 7.

"It is 30 years old and has a singing voice so beautiful people stop in the street to listen," O'Neill continued. "It has a son, two sisters, a mother and a father. Its name is Madelyn Ellen Linsenmeir. This is what the opioid epidemic looks like."

Preliminary estimates show that there were over 49,000 opioid-related deaths in 2017. A mother, an athlete and a "born performer," Maddie died from a staph infection she developed from intravenous drug use, her sister said on Instagram.

O'Neill wrote that the term opioid epidemic has been "used to the point of non-meaning" and added that the response to it "has been equally meaningless."

The obituary says Maddie loved to ski and snowboard, she swam competitively and toured different countries when she was a part of a musical troupe. Born in Vermont, Maddie tried OxyContin for the first time at a high school party in Florida where she moved with her parents to attend a performing arts high school, the obituary says.

"It is impossible to capture a person in an obituary, and especially someone whose adult life was largely defined by drug addiction," the obituary says. "To some, Maddie was just a junkie — when they saw her addiction, they stopped seeing her. And what a loss for them."

O'Neill described Maddie as a person who could talk to anyone and was loved by her family. When her son, Ayden, was born in 2014, Maddie "transformed her life to mother him," and "tried harder and more relentlessly to stay sober than we have ever seen anyone try at anything," according to the obituary.

She eventually lost custody of her son when she relapsed.

"During the past two years especially, her disease brought her to places of incredible darkness, and this darkness compounded on itself, as each unspeakable thing that happened to her and each horrible thing she did in the name of her disease exponentially increased her pain and shame," the obituary says.

O'Neill describes 12 days over the summer when Maddie was at home and sober, a time when her family believed she would overcome the disease.

"But her addiction stalked her and stole her once again," the obituary says.

In the obituary, O'Neill reached out to those suffering from addiction, assuring them that families affected by the disease believe that they can overcome addiction.

"If you are reading this with judgment, educate yourself about this disease, because that is what it is," the obituary says. "It is not a choice or a weakness."

Tributes written in response to the obituary showed the impact O'Neill's words written in response to the obituary showed the impact the words have had on people.

"Like many I see on this tribute page, I want to express condolences and praise to you for your courage and the tremendously beautiful written piece regarding your sister, daughter - loved one," a woman named Pamela wrote.

"I didn't know Maddie, but as a mom of a former addict who is currently doing well, this was an amazing tribute," an anonymous tribute read. "Thank you for helping break down the stigma of this baffling disease. I'm so sorry for your great loss."

On Twitter, White House advisor Ivanka Trump wrote she had "profound admiration for the family members who wrote this raw, beautiful & devastating obituary."

It was also shared by actress Alyssa Milano, New York Times columnist David Brooks and many others.

You can read the full obituary here.

Patch was not able to immediately reach Linsenmeir's family.

Photo by Renee Schiavone/Patch