“Unexpectedly”

Twenty Years Ago, I Was Preparing to Die. Unexpectedly.

Twenty years ago today, I was preparing to die.

And I didn’t even realize it.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Twenty years ago, I was making dangerous decisions that were certain to leave my family without their son. To break the hearts of many. To become another obituary that read “died unexpectedly.”

I was severely addicted to hydrocodone, taking upwards of 60 pills a day and washing it down with 5-10 Valium and alcohol. You don’t need to be a doctor to know that’s a deadly mix.

But to me, that day was like any other. I pushed through, drank through the night, and wound up at a Kinko’s at 3 AM—like that was normal.

By morning, I was on the edge of death. Fighting for my life. Fighting for my sanity.

Forced to face who I had become.

A liar. A manipulator. A full-blown addict and alcoholic.

The ‘Unexpectedly’ Generation

If you grew up between 2000 and 2025, you’re part of what I call the “Unexpectedly” Generation.

The generation whose deaths are most often described as “unexpected.”

It started with prescription opioid overdoses. Then heroin took over. Then fentanyl became the killer of choice.

At the same time, we poured billions into mental health awareness. We talked about it more than ever. And yet, despite all the education and endless awareness campaigns…

We’re still losing.

Because the harvest from these efforts has failed.

The Truth About ‘Dying Unexpectedly’

The truth?

My near-death wasn’t unexpected at all.

The warning signs were everywhere—so obvious they could have attracted buzzards.

The only person surprised by my “unexpected” demise? Me.

Because that’s the thing about addiction.

We tell ourselves so many lies that we start to believe them. We get so good at deceiving others that we seduce ourselves into thinking we’re in control.

“I know what I’m doing. I can’t die.”

But that’s the thing about dying unexpectedly.

You never see it coming.

What I See Now—And What Needs to Change

Twenty years later, I look back with gratitude, humility, shock, and horror.

Because despite all the awareness, despite all the “progress,” despite all the societal band-aids meant to pacify everyone except those actually suffering…

Suicide and overdose deaths are at an all-time high.

And I’ll prove it in my next post.

This Is Why I Founded AddictionHelp.com

I built AddictionHelp.com to stop people from becoming just another “unexpectedly” statistic.

If you care about saving a life—yours or someone else’s—stick with me. I’ll show you how.

Buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

At least now, you’ll know what to expect.