Addiction is a disease that profoundly affects families. My 23-year-old son Alex lost his life to it. He was an amazing, loving young man with great potential and dreams for the future. As a Traverse City native and someone in recovery, I share my story in the hope that I can help guide others on a different path and that our community can offer better support to those facing the challenges of addiction. Alex’s motto was "Have A Purpose!" My purpose is to advocate for recovery, raise awareness, and contribute to finding lasting solutions.