Watching someone slowly fade away, lose themselves, and not recognize them anymore are things someone’s family has to go through when watching them become addicted to a substance. Foster Keeley, a senior, knows this all too well. When his mother passed away last month he realized he had seen addiction his whole life but didn’t see the consequences until that moment. He then began his journey to educate and spread awareness about addiction so no one else could feel the pain addiction can bring.
Awareness can mean many things. Whether posting on social media, telling people, or simply educating oneself; it’s still spreading the word. Foster does all of this, To inform people he has to talk about an uncomfortable topic that no one else seems to acknowledge. It’s more than just a topic to Foster, it was his life.
“As a child of an addict, you see and hear many things,” Foster said. “I knew what drugs, needles, pipes, even the bad sexual aspects of drug addiction caused for everyone around it.”
High school can be hard for many people, Foster knows this. He believes that most people turn to drugs as a coping mechanism especially when they’re going through the motions of growing up.
“Everyone hates high school, they want something to make them feel better, but in reality, that’s not what you need,” Foster said. “You need to be interacting, speaking, making friends, try to be outgoing.”
Foster is not the only person advocating against this epidemic called addiction. He has many supporters; friends, family, and even on social media.
“I’ve always wanted to help him and be patient with him,” senior Ella Andrejczak said. “I’m glad I’ve still helped, being there every step of the way. He is one of the strongest and most caring people that I know.”
Many people have been educating themselves and becoming more aware of the world around them. Most become worried about future generations since there have been more cases of students gaining an addiction at a young age.
“Intermediate school was when I began being surrounded by it (vaping) and I am afraid it will hit my little brother the same way,” junior Rai Book said. “When it comes to vaping, there are no positives.”
It’s only the beginning for Foster; he plans on advocating for anyone struggling and anyone willing to get the help they need. He wants to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) for this reason. He understands and is constantly trying to help people who might’ve felt the same way he once felt.
“I am going to start volunteering more to help speak on addiction,” Foster said. “How it can affect you, your family, kids, and anyone around you.”
