Karisten Lyn Sherman
The Detective calls me at 5:50pm on Christmas Eve to say he tried to come to my house to speak with me, but I wasn’t home. He then asks if I’m somewhere I can speak privately and my stomach drops. I tell him to go ahead and he gives me the news. I hit my knees on the ground and start whimpering.
See, my daughter was clean for just over a year from using heroin. She kicked the dragon and I didn’t think she was ever gonna look back for it. I took her to her first Narcan meeting, took her to her first AA meeting, and went with her to her first NA meeting and hit one with her here and there as she progressed through her sobriety. Recently we spoke about those meetings and all the hocus pocus that goes on in there and I tell her “to each their own” and that those meetings help some and then they may not help others. I dig deeper and we talk more about how it’s helped her and that she has met some really good people in those meetings who relate with her better than I can since they’ve experienced this and she decides that she is going to keep going. She even looks at me, and she promises me that she’s NEVER going back to Heroin ever again. She even said “Daddy, I don’t want to go back to that stuff ever again”. I remind her what I told her at the Narcan meeting “if you can’t kick the dragon for good I will be the one to zip you up, but I will be with you every step of the way when you need me”. My relationship with my daughter is a loving relationship that shines. I would ALWAYS be there to bail her out of whatever she got herself into, but now here I was, a father who was desperate for my daughter NEVER TO USE AGAIN and didn’t know how else to put it. I thought the love she had for me would keep her from going back to that drug ever again.
I don’t know why she didn’t call me like she promised. It hurts so bad that she didn’t call.
STOP READING HERE cause it’s going to be very descriptive and not to pleasant to think in your mind if you picture my explanation. Just stop here and know I love her and kept my word to her.... but on the other hand I need everyone to understand how very bad this stuff is so you NEVER have to experience what we are right now.
I walked up the stairs and there was Karisten sitting in her bed. She had hit such an lethal dose that when she went into a hemorrhaging arrest that she sat up from her pillows she was propped on in her bed, had her arms straight out with a slight bend at the elbow, fists clenched, with her thumbs tucked under her fingers grasping so tight at what looked like she was trying to grab life back in her. She was all blue faced, veins out, had a little blood from her nose and her teeth were so tight together that her mouth wouldn’t open. Her toes were curled and she sat there dead until she was found when everybody got to her house. I was told I couldn’t touch my daughter in case there was any lethal powder still on her. I ask for gloves and glove up ‘cause I’ll be damned if I’m not going to help my daughter One last time or hug her and let her know I Love her.
Now my daughter didn’t want to die. She had told me that many times, but now I’m starting to wonder if she did or if this was just a huge life mistake by chasing the dragons tail and she took a bad dose or went back to what she used to do with just a little less and it was still too much and the dragon won.
Well, I kept my word and spread the bag out and carefully placed her in it to say goodbye to her so they can find out what it was that she took. I zipped her up in her body bag and helped them carefully place her on the cot.
Please, I BEG YOU... if you know someone close to you on Heroin or recovering from Heroin, take it from me, do not, I repeat DO NOT let anyone tell you how to handle a situation, especially if it is your own child. Do what your gut tells you 100% of the time. I’ve let my guard down by being a little chill lately, but this is gonna change me and I’m gonna follow my gut like I always did in the past and nothing will stand in my way. I promise that...
I am heartbroken that my baby girl who I raised since she was 1 1/2 years old with full custody and child support supposed to be paid to my daughter, which never did. Well, a few years later Karisten and I met Tanya and Tanya fell in love with Karisten before I think she did with me LOL and we decided to start a family where Timmy and Brody came along down the road. We did good raising our kids and Tanya even officially adopted Karisten before we moved to California and was listed on her birth certificate.
I miss my daughter so much and am hurting so much. I know people who have gone through this and have had it worse than we are, but it still sucks. I just want ALL of you to know that no matter who you are or what you do or how perfect you think someone is, that this Heroin can come into anybody’s life and destroy it. Do not be blind to this. Do not accept anything less. AND DO NOT LET THIS DRUG FOOL YOU!!! I’m no expert on this, but am pretty intelligent with certain things and I am here for ANYONE who has questions or looking for answers or looking for a scare tactic to help their loved one. Please call me or someone like me. I will do it in a heartbeat for those I know and even don’t know. I’ve done it for other kids and families. But I was blinded by the Dragon with my own daughter.
Please, please, please, wrap your arms around your loved ones and let them know how much you care and love them, because tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Rest EasyKaristen Lyn Shermann, I miss you so much, my heart is broken, and I LOVE YOU so very very much. You were my everything where I gave up my future and dreams when you were little to give you the life I thought you should have and your family will always miss you. I will see you again someday on the other side or somewhere from the middle 😭 In the meantime, don’t give Papa and Uncle Danny too much shit
