Allie Shead lost her battle to substance abuse on January 02, 2022. We never want her to be forgotten, as she truly is unforgettable.
When Allie entered the room, she did so with a warm smile and a sense of ease. She loved to laugh and make others laugh with things she said or did. Her laugh was hearty and infectious. She was a kind-hearted young woman willing to help anyone in need and performed many “acts of kindness” in her short 23 years of life. She didn’t merely tolerate those who were different, she embraced them. She would always step up to the plate on behalf of the underdog. She did not discriminate. Unfortunately, neither does substance abuse.
We are devastated by her death and there will forever be a void in our hearts. We would have moved mountains to help her “right her ship” and get on a better path in life. If only our love were enough.
We are in the midst of a rampant, deadly crisis that is killing people at epidemic proportions. It affects all backgrounds, ethnicities, age groups, sexual orientations, as well as those in every social and economic status. It does not discriminate.
As a result of this tragedy, we are motivated to do what we can to continue on in a positive way to help others as Allie surely would have done. Our hope is that her life was not in vain. Our mission is to bring awareness and educate our community of the dangers of illegal substance abuse. We also aim to raise awareness of the relationship between mental illness and substance abuse.
Through the Allie Shead Impact Initiative, our hope is that Allie's message will be passed on with the power to help save others.
Please consider giving any amount you are able–as little or as great as that might be. If her story is shared far and wide just a small donation will go a long way to helping the next person carry out their legacy of breaking down barriers often tied to those in addiction recovery.
The memorial funds will support individuals in recovery from addiction and alcoholism who attend Mariposa Recovery Services and the costs associated with their treatment at the facility.
