Brittany’s Hope is a foundation that is not asking for money.
It’s just a resource to give drug users options to start getting help, and to let them know what their loved ones will go through if they don’t. Helping others is a great way to honor Brittany Brown.
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​Please get the help you need and don’t be ashamed. Death is final! My heart is broken. Nothing will ever be the same again. The only comfort is knowing she is in Heaven and we will be reunited again one day.
A Mother's Plea
My name is Kimberly Brown. I am the mother to two beautiful daughters. I have a daughter, Deidre, and I had a younger daughter, Brittany. Brittany was born August 30, 1991. She was very talented and gifted. She loved art, loved to draw, loved to recycle old wine bottles in to vases, and loved to do hair and make-up. I would sit for hours watching Brittany do make-up. It was perfect every time.
During Brittany’s teenage years, she started hanging with people that were in to drugs. Peer pressure got the best of Brittany and she began to smoke pot, which led to more things, such as alcohol, taking pills, and even snorting her medication. Brittany quit school in her senior year. She moved in with her aunt and uncle. Brittany was clean for six months. Then once again, the evil of drugs reared its ugly head. Brittany and I moved to Belmont. Brittany began hanging around a very bad crowd of people. She knew it was wrong and wanted to make something of herself so she enrolled in a GED program to work towards getting her diploma. During this period of time she was introduced to valium, which led to other demons such as heroin, cocaine, and meth.
Brittany knew she had a problem and tried to enroll in a rehab program, but there was a waiting list, so Brittany just gave up. We need more facilities for people that want to get off drugs. There just is not enough of them around, especially in our local area. No matter how hard a person may want to try, they are not likely to kick their drug habit without real help.
On November 24, 2017, the day after Thanksgiving, my precious Brittany died of an accidental drug overdose. That night will haunt me forever. A State Trooper came to my door and told me that my daughter Brittany had passed away. My world crashed when I heard the news. I still have a hard time sleeping, and dread Fridays every week. My precious Brittany is gone. All of my happiness and joy is gone. Everything is different now; holidays aren’t joyful; her bed is empty. I will never hear her giggle or see that pretty smiling face of hers anymore. All I have are pictures and what is in my memory.
Think of the people you leave behind and the mourning and the heartache that they must be left with. If you do have a drug problem, call for help. Talk to a friend, go to your teacher, or your minister, or just get in to counseling. Do whatever it takes to save your life. Please don’t let an officer come to your parent’s door to tell them that their loved one has passed away!
If we can save one person with Brittany’s Hope, that would be a great way to honor my daughter.
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As for all you parents out there, hug your child and tell them you love them. I would give anything to have that chance again.
If you need help, or know somebody that needs help, call to get help NOW. Below are some suggestions, many of which are right here in our local area.
A Sister's Heartbreak
My name is Deidre Rutkowski. On November 24, 2017, my life changed forever. It was a bittersweet day. Just hours earlier I heard my new son’s heart beat for the first time at a visit with my doctor. I couldn’t wait to share the news with my sister Brittany. Little did I know, those moments of happiness would be short lived, as my sister’s own heartrate was fading. Brittany was dying alone. My mom and I had absolutely no clue, and no way to get her the help that she needed. November 24 will forever be etched in to my heart and mind.
Over the scanner that night we had heard of an ‘unattended death’ at the address where we knew Brittany had been staying that week. To our great fear, the radio traffic also identified that it was a 26 year old female – Brittany’s age. A nervous hour passed, and I was standing in my kitchen with my three year old son, whom Brittany adored. The phone rang. The sounds of pure terror came over me. My mom was on the phone screaming “She’s gone, my baby girl is gone…” Then a State Trooper’s voice came on asking me to come up to be with my mom. I fell to my knees. My husband grabbed me, and tried to console me. He took me to my mom’s. We hugged each other. The Trooper was talking to me, but all I could see was his mouth moving, and could not hear a word that he said. The silence was chilling.
When the Trooper left, I rant to Brittany’s room and just sat on her bed and cried. I knew everything was going to be different; never to be the same again.
I lost a piece of my heart. The one person that could make me laugh no matter what, was gone.
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I remember being on Facebook soon after, and getting “friend” requests from over 100 people in a span of only 3 days. People were just being nosey, and posting hurtful things about my sister. “Yep another suicide.” “Another overdose.” People were making fun of her. People didn’t care about our privacy.
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Brittany and I had plans for the future. She was going to be there in the delivery room when I gave birth. She wanted to be an awesome aunt to her nephews. Instead, I had to enter a funeral home to make my sister’s arrangements. The undertaker told us my sister couldn’t be shown and I ran out of the room and collapsed. I just cried and cried. At that moment my Aunt Vicky looked just like an angel to me. All I saw was my beautiful Grandma’s face shine though hers. She told me to be strong. The rest is to be expected – a funeral, lots of tears and looking at pictures. I too will miss Brittany’s giggle. I loved my sister so much.
To all young people who are using, please STOP. The road will lead to the morgue, then to the funeral home. My sister will never get to see her nephews grow up, will never get married or have children of her own. All of our joys are gone. I get to talk to a cold gravestone.
Please get the help you need and don’t be ashamed. Death is final! My heart is broken. Nothing will ever be the same again. The only comfort is knowing she is in Heaven and we will be reunited again one day.