Madelyn Linsenmeir was 30 years old when she died on Oct. 7. When her obituary was published, it went viral on social media for its compassionate take on opioid addiction.
Linsenmeir’s addiction to opioids eventually killed her, but her family’s powerful remembrance refused to let that addiction define who she was. The obituary instead recalled her beautiful singing voice, her love of winter sports and her devotion to her young son. Those details reached far beyond Vermont, with features in the Washington Post, BuzzFeed News, and the Huffington Post.
Gary De Carolis is executive director of Turning Point Center in Burlington, where Linsenmeir received support at various times for her disease.
“The beautiful thing about this obituary is they put a face on addiction,” said De Carolis. “So many times, people who struggle with addictions are considered addicts or junkies or, you know, the black sheep. And here’s a human being, like everyone is, with strengths and abilities and talents.”
Listen: Linsenmeir's sister Kate O'Neill, who wrote the obituary, spoke to NPR's Scott Simon.
The obituary asked that people donate to the Turning Point Center to honor Linsenmeir’s memory, in lieu of flowers. De Carolis said, as a result, hundreds of people from around the world have reached out to the center to share their own stories of addiction.
“The stories I'm getting through the internet," he said, "some along with donations, but some just wanting to write about how much this gave them hope that people would see them in a different light."
When De Carolis spoke to VPR on Thursday, he said that since the obituary was published on Oct. 14, the Turning Point Center had received over 200 donations from around the world, amounting to more than $10,000.
“I can say that 100 percent sure that what that family did will save many lives and will help others from even maybe perhaps going forward on a journey of using drugs and alcohol. I am forever grateful for what they did," De Carolis said. "I think it helped Vermont and it helped the country.”
