Jake lost his battle with substance use disorder when he was 19, two months shy of his twentieth birthday, June 2016. His sisters were able to share his story with us.

His family described him as a selfless person, but also stricken with depression and anxiety. They contributed his turn to these substances due to a lot of factors. Jake was sensitive and having friend issues, who also used. He also lived in a targeted and flooded area with OxyContin in Baltimore County.

Jake wrote journal and diary entries to himself, some shown below, to help recover during his time at rehab. His sister described him as being "himself" but could tell the times when he wasn't, and using, then he became himself again, only to pass away when least expected.

Now his family is trying to carry on his selfless legacy and turning to preventative cases. That's why they spoke to us and want his story out.