Tennessee Letters for First First Lady Maria Lee

Andrea Briscoe’s Daughter

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Andrea Briscoe. I lost my daughter, Deanna Michelle Briscoe, on December
21, 2019, to fentanyl poisoning combined with cocaine & heroin laced with fentanyl,
isotonitazene intoxication and 4-ANPP.
Deanna was my only child and was a miracle to even have been born. I was never
supposed to have children, but God saw fit to send her to me just when I needed her the
most. She was such a loving, caring, kindhearted soul that would do anything for anyone.
She brought sunshine into every room she walked in.
She was a mother to the most handsome young man who is going to be 14 this year. He
was only 10 years old when she passed away. She had so many friends who she
considered family, as did I. In fact, four of Deanna’s girlfriends were at my house more
than their own growing up, and Deanna loved the fact that she had “sisters” who were able
to be around anytime they wanted to be. Our house was an open door to her friends.
She is missed by so many people. Not a day goes by that her name isn’t mentioned. She
celebrated her 28th birthday on December 5th, 2019, and was just a happy-go-lucky
person. There were many times she and I didn’t speak due to her addiction. That
absolutely tore our family apart. She trusted so many people when she shouldn’t have.
They took her from us by deception.
Even today, I am still numb and shattered and so wish she was still here with us. She was
not only my daughter, but she was my very best friend, and I miss her tremendously. She
had so much life left ahead of her and so many plans, but it was cut way too short.
Thank you for your consideration in helping us to honor our children with a Memorial Wall
at our State Capitol and bring awareness to this deadly drug and epidemic that is taking
our children and loved ones from us.
My sincere thanks,
Andrea Briscoe - Deanna’s mom; forever 28
Pleasant View, Tennessee

Betty Johnson’s Son

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Betty Johnson, and I am writing to you as an ambassador for the Drug
Epidemic Memorial Walls.
We were blessed with a beautiful, loving, and smart son named Adam. He was our only
child so, as you can imagine, we had so many hopes and dreams for him. He made us
proud. He was in the top ten in his class all through grade school and high school. He was
in the United States Achievement Academy 2008 National Awards and graduated early.
Our goal when he was growing up was for him to visit all 50 of our beautiful states before
he graduated. We made it to all but three, Washington State, Hawaii, and Alaska. All the
friends and cousins were lining up for two of those trips.
Adam loved riding dirt bikes, fishing, hunting, and his dog, JC. He was a loyal friend who
had a soft heart and would help anyone and everyone, including the homeless in
Memphis, Tennessee.
We lost him to fentanyl poisoning on March 3, 2019. His father and I are devastated. This
is a loss you never come back from. My husband described it as a constant pain and
weight in his chest that wouldn't go away. He says he now knows what a broken heart
feels like.
I know you have children and grandchildren. Would you assist us in finding a permanent
location for a Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall within our Capitol? We have created two
Memorial Walls, one with names and one with photos.
Sincerely,
Betty Johnson – Adam’s mom; forever 25
McKenzie, Tennessee

Debra Lynn’s Daughter

Dear First Lady Lee,
My name is Debra Lynn. I recently lost my daughter, Mary Shandon, on April 5, 2023. She was
murdered by fentanyl poisoning. That morning she entered a residence she considered safe. She walked
in with dreams of a better life without addiction. She never made it out alive.
Although Shandon passed away in Indiana, Tennessee was her home. She was beautiful, smart, and
athletic with a kind heart. Her smile with her big blue eyes could light up a room. She also had a
daughter. Her goal was to break the merry-go-round of addiction. She did not want to die. She wanted to
regain her life as a mother, aunt, sister, and daughter. She wanted her family back. Shandon’s belief and
desire to break the bonds of addictions were stolen from her that day by fentanyl.
On the evening of that fateful day, I received a message asking if I had heard from Shandon, as the
sender had been told that Shandon had passed. I was in disbelief and shock. I called the police
department and was informed that someone that was at the crime scene would get back to me. At that
moment I felt my worst fears and, as a mother, knew that my child was no longer here on Earth. The
office called and confirmed that my daughter had passed away. I was still in disbelief, but as the
realization set in, I could feel all the strength in my body draining away. I can still remember the officer’s
words confirming my daughter’s passing playing over and over in my head like a broken record.
Shandon fought with addiction for years, but this time was different. She told me that “her soul was tired,
and she did not want this life anymore”. She was passing all her drug screenings. Ironically, she had a
drug screen coming up the next day. Shandon was given a lethal dose of fentanyl. It is unknown if she
took it willingly. The fentanyl dose was so lethal that it killed her within seconds. My daughter was no
longer in this world.
She laid deceased in this residence for hours, according to the coroner’s report, and nobody there tried to
help her. There are so many unanswered questions surrounding her death. As parents, we want to know
the truth and all the facts about the circumstances that brought this tragedy to our family. The pain is so
unbearable. I have never felt such despair in my life.
We request Tennessee to recognize the life of our loved ones. Our loved ones are more than the disease
of addiction they struggle with every day. They are beautiful and loving souls.
We do not wish other families to ever experience this unbearable grief. Drug addiction is an epidemic
and does not discriminate based on your economic, racial, or geographical boundaries, and anyone of us
or our loved ones can become their next victim.
We ask for your help with the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall to both honor our loved ones and to bring
awareness to these senseless tragedies that have engulfed countless lives and families. Please don’t
say “not my child”, as anyone could be its next victim.
Thank You.
Debra Lynn – Mary’s mom; forever 39
Allen, TX

Diane Norris-Hounschell’s Son

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Diane Norris-Hounschell, and I lost my only son, Joshua Daniel Weaver to fentanyl
poisoning on October 4, 2022.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and, through no fault of his own, the medication
either made him a zombie or made him violent. We discontinued the meds by age 13.
He struggled with school most of his school years, either getting expelled or failing. He made it to
high school, and in January of his senior year he found out that his diploma would be a Special
Ed diploma and decided it would do him no good, so he signed himself out of school.
Josh was such a kind-hearted person with some severe mental concerns that he could not work
through, so he turned to alcohol and pain pills, until those quit working or couldn't afford them.
He then turned to meth and heroin for a cheap high.
He eventually got married and had three little boys but lost his family due to his drug use. After
becoming homeless and many overdoses later, he decided it was time for help. My baby got
himself a bed set up at Journey Pure and stayed 32 days and then went to a halfway house. His
first night there he was trying to work things out with his wife, but she refused him, so he went
right back to the streets. He felt we were pushing him too hard to get better, so he wouldn’t talk
to us and avoided us when we saw him out walking the streets. The last time I saw him was
September 24, 2022. I came out of a little thrift store, and he was leaning against my car. He
immediately started arguing with me. He was in such a bad place; it broke my heart.
On October 4th, 2022, at 5:15 p.m. my phone rang. It was my husband's friend, so I just passed
the phone to him. When I saw my husband's face, I knew something was wrong. He called to say
that a guy named Jacob told him he thinks Josh is dead. I immediately left to go find some
answers. My son's lifelong friend rode with me. At the scene I was directed to a dilapidated shed
where I found my baby boy lying dead on an old dirty mattress. I just collapsed and fell over my
son's body. I remained there until the police officer dragged me off him.
I knew in my heart that someone gave him fentanyl. That was confirmed when I got the autopsy
report: fentanyl poisoning. I have not been right since. I suffer nightmares, panic attacks, PTSD,
along with many other medical issues. I am just falling to pieces.
I want to say thank you for reading my angel's story. Please help us to build a Memorial Wall in
honor of our loved ones who have been victims of the drug epidemic.
Sincerely,
Diane Norris-Hounschell – Josh’s mom; forever 31
Knoxville, Tennessee

Gloria Sirois’ Daughter

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
Hello, ma’am. My name is Gloria Sirois. I lost my youngest daughter, Angelica Rose
Bolton, on May 24, 2018, to fentanyl poisoning in Nashville, Tennessee. Angelica was 28
years old. She was a beautiful and outgoing young woman who had so much to contribute
to this world.
She has a beautiful daughter, Nevaeh, who she will never see grow up. She has sisters, a
brother, and a mother and father who wake up every day having to live without her.
It is unreal to me to see these fentanyl poisonings continue to be on the rise. I believe that
through education and awareness, just maybe we can put a stop to these senseless
deaths. It can, indeed, happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
My prayer is that you will join with us in honoring our loved ones with a place in our State
Capital for our Tennessee Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall.
Thank you for your consideration,
Gloria Sirois – Angelica’s mom; forever 28
Nashville, Tennessee

Jeannine Lehman’s Son

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Jeannine Lehman. On June 10, 2021, I received a phone call that forever
changed my life. I lost my youngest son, Benjamin, to fentanyl poisoning.
Benjamin was a kindhearted person who would do anything for anyone. He had many
friends and a loving, supportive, family. Benjamin struggled with addiction and had
reached out for help. He went to privately paid rehab and forty days clean and sober.
Thirty days was all we could afford. As we know now, 30 days is never enough.
He was so happy, ready, and excited to start fresh, free from the addiction he hated. He
had so many plans. He wanted to marry his girlfriend, move to the northwest, and to have
a child and name her Rylynn.
Our lives are forever changed. Our son was poisoned and murdered.
We want Tennessee to recognize that our loved ones’ lives mattered. We don’t want any
others to be subjected to the heartbreak that we, as his family, have endured due to this
fentanyl crisis. We are asking for your support in recognizing our loved ones. Please help
us make this Memorial Wall possible.
My sincere thanks,
Jeannine Lehman; Benjamin’s mom; forever 34
Clarksville, Tennessee

Lexxus & Natasha Yancey’s Father

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Karen Miller. My children lost their father on October 23, 2022, at the age of
52 to fentanyl poisoning. I am writing to you in hopes that you can help with our campaign
to have Memorials put up in all 50 state Capitols to honor our loved ones lost to the
fentanyl epidemic.
Billy was an electrician by trade. He was a great problem-solver and inventor. He never
met a stranger and was always looking to help someone in need. But Billy drank. He was
an alcoholic. The alcohol didn’t kill him. Ultimately, the stranger did.
So many unanswered questions for our girls. Our girls had their father stolen from them.
They won’t have him walk them down the aisle. Their future children will automatically be
minus a grandpa. What they do have is fond memories of a father that was very proud of
them and loved them very much.
We are losing too many to this drug epidemic. Fentanyl doesn’t discriminate.
Will you please say yes to help in keeping their father’s memory alive?
Sincerely,
Karen Miller – Billy’s ex-wife and children’s mother; forever 52
Lexxus Yancey – Billy’s daughter – Age 28
Natasha Yancey – Billy’s daughter – Age 25
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Lexxus Yancey, and I lost my father last year at the end of October to fentanyl
poisoning. My dad was my best friend. We would spend almost every day together.
The day he overdosed he had just met a woman for the first time and asked her if she
needed a ride. We have discovered that he knew this woman less than 24 hours. If he had
not been kind to her and offered to give her a ride, then he would not be dead. I had to
discover all this information on my own. The Murfreesboro Police Department treated my
dad's death as if it didn't matter and just assumed he was a drug addict. They would not
listen to me and had me questioning things about someone whom I know and love very
well. It is still an active investigation, so we will see if anyone ever must take responsibility
for it.
I am writing to you in hopes that you can help with our campaign to have Memorial Walls
put up in all 50 state Capitols to honor our loved ones lost to the fentanyl epidemic.
My father's death has destroyed me. I have not been able to hold down a full-time job after
having had the same job for almost four years. I have trouble focusing on things, and I find
myself crying every day. I have lost multiple friends to this poison, all under the age of 28,
and now my father at the age of 52. Fentanyl does not discriminate against anyone.
Will you please say yes to keeping my friends’ and my father’s memory alive?
Sincerely,
Lexxus Yancey – Billy’s daughter; forever 52
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

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Lacey Cooley’s Boyfriend

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
I am writing this letter in hopes that you may consider a Memorial Wall for the victims of
the drug overdose/poisoning epidemic in Tennessee, not only to honor their memories and
their families’ loss, but also to work toward creating a narrative to erase some of the
stigma of addiction.
My name is Lacey Cooley, and on March 17, 2022, my entire life changed the moment I
woke up. My boyfriend, Clayton Green, was one of my best friends for over 25 years.
Recently we had begun a closer relationship. We spent most every day enjoying each
other and LAUGHING. We were not only working on ourselves but were also working on
relationships with our families.
Throughout most of his life, he had struggled with drugs and alcohol, but when I say he
was doing good, he was doing great. He was gaining weight. His skin was clearing up.
His eyes were bright. He finally had a relationship with his 16-year-old daughter for the first
time in her life. He was being honest and upfront.
The day before I lost him, he came to work with me and was all over the place. He said he
was sober, but I was very doubtful with no way to prove it. We argued and left separately.
That night we ate pizza, watched a movie, and went to bed.
On Thursday, March 17, 2022, I woke up to find him on the floor dead. He was gone. His
hands were clasped together like he was praying. Instantly, my past, present, and future
were gone. I had to make the most difficult phone call of my life to his mother, who’d just
recently celebrated her cancer remission.
Nothing is the same since his death. My guilt, questions, sadness, anxiety, anger are
sometimes too much to bear, and so is the pain of missing him. How did this happen? I
feel like I let him down, and myself, as well and his daughter and his parents.
Clayton is the love of my life, and I must spend the rest of my life missing him and
mourning him and second-guessing everything we did that day. In the meantime, he’s
forever 38 years old, and I laugh a whole lot less these days.
Thank you so much.
Lacey Cooley – Clayton’s girlfriend; forever 38
Estill Springs, Tennessee

Margie Moore’s Daughter

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Marjorie Moore, Margie for short. I am an Ambassador for the Tennessee Drug
Epidemic Memorial Wall campaign. We are working to bring recognition to our lost loved ones.
Please allow me to introduce you to my beloved daughter, Angel.
Angel was born in a little town in upstate New York on April 21, 1991. She was a wonderful baby
and a great big sister to her younger brother, Dean. She grew up in Vermont until she was 10,
where she enjoyed participating in chorus and playing the clarinet. In 2001 we moved to
Tennessee to better our lives. Angel graduated from high school in 2009 while pregnant with her
first born. Isabella made her way into this world in November of 2009, and so began motherhood
for Angel. They added to their little family in 2013 when she had her son, Logan, and again in
2014 when Alaina was born. She loved her babies and was such a good mom.
Angel was a kind person, through and through. She was so lovable and enjoyed life to the fullest.
She loved to cook and bake for her kids. She loved her hip-hop music, always dancing along to
the beat. She was silly with her children and loved a good photo-op to take goofy pictures with
them. Those photos and memories are forever cherished. She also loved coloring in adult
coloring books. It was a great way for her to relax. With three children, it wasn’t often she had
time to sit and focus on her art, so she appreciated those moments when they came.
Her oldest daughter is just like her in every way possible. They look just alike, walk and talk the
same, and she carries her mom’s confident attitude. She is Little Miss Smarty-Pants, just like her
mom was as a child. It is bittersweet. Sadly, Isabella lost her dad as well on Mother’s Day to a
motorcycle accident. She is now living with her aunt. She will be 14 in November. I am one of
countless grandmothers who are now raising their grandchildren, as Logan and Alaina, ages 10
and nine, now reside with me. They are all I have left of their mom. They are my joy.
In 2015, things took a turn in Angel’s life. She met a man who was not a good influence on her.
Regrettably, that’s where her drug use began when he introduced her to many things, including
mollies, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. In three short years, this lifestyle took
everything from us. Angel passed away on February 12, 2018. She was 26.
Every single person who has died due to opiates and other drugs were so much more than what
took their lives. Along with their families, they each had plans, hopes, and dreams for their
futures. Please help us honor our children by showing that their lives mattered. Help us to build a
Memorial Wall in our State Capitol complex.
Sincerely,
Margie Moore – Angel’s mom; forever 26
Maryville, Tennessee

Sharon Kitts’ Son

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
I am an ambassador for the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall campaign. This is a 50-state
campaign looking to place Memorial Walls in all state capitols. Would you assist us in finding a
permanent location for a Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall within our State Capitol complex? We
would like our loved ones to be honored like victims. A group of our Tennessee moms would love
to meet with you and work together to prevent this from happening ever again.
My son, Dustin Monroe, passed away due to fentanyl poisoning on February 3, 2022. He is
forever 44. His death has devastated our whole family. He was so much more than what took his
life.
Here is a little about who my precious son, Dustin Monroe, was.
My name is Sharon Kitts. I am the mother of Dustin Monroe. We shared an unconditional and
unbreakable bond. His best friend and most faithful companion, Oasis, whom he raised from a
puppy and loved with his whole heart, were like Batman and Robin.
Dustin was passionate about reading and journaling. He studied many topics and was well
versed in different religions. He was a Christian whose faith showed in his daily life, never
hesitating to pray with anyone. He lived by grace, not perfection, offering forgiveness and always
accepting responsibility for his own actions. He was kind and humble, often feeling the pain
others felt intuitively. He prayed for peace of mind and heart for himself and others.
Dustin pursued many hobbies in life, including weightlifting, working out, boxing, wrestling,
skateboarding. He loved to swim in the ocean and fish. His newest hobby was going to the gun
range. He loved all animals. He was a Big Rig Truck driver and loved the freedom of the open
road. He was known as the "Alpha Dog Warrior" and "Hillbilly Duck".
His wit could bring a smile and laughter when it was most needed, and his million-dollar smile
matched his sparkling blue eyes. Dustin's Dad passed when he was just a baby, but he forever
carried him in his heart. He loved me and his grandmother very much, bringing much joy to our
lives. Dustin is missed by many.
We are grieving mothers and parents. We have hope and keep faith that you will help us.
Sincerely,
Sharon Kitts, Dustin’s mom; forever 44
Knoxville, Tennessee

Stephanie Fisher’s Son

Dear First Lady Maria Lee,
My name is Stephanie Fisher, and Daniel Fisher was my first-born son. He was a country boy
who loved to fish, ride through the mountains, play basketball and had a passion for animals of
all kinds. Daniel started working part time in high school at Staples but had plans of going to
school to be an electrician.
He was engaged to be married to his high school sweetheart in two weeks on the beach in
Destin, Florida. She was expecting their first baby. She was four months pregnant at the time
that he was poisoned. Daniel would never know he was having a little girl, but he held that first
ultrasound picture of Lilly in his billfold proudly. On one side was his baby, and on the other side
was a picture of his beautiful bride to be.
Daniel had been involved in a fender bender that day. I will never know who sold him the fake
oxycodone that turned out to be fentanyl. The detective told me that because he wasn't stabbed
or shot, they couldn't really charge anyone for poisoning him because he asked for it. “You play,
you pay”! My son was a good boy, and he never asked for fentanyl poison.
Regardless of anyone's judgement on him from an outsider, I knew my son better than anyone.
What haunts me even more than not getting justice for him is knowing that the person who killed
him was free to kill many more. Our lives have been forever changed, turned inside out, upside
down, and shaken to the core. I will spend the rest of my life trying to warn others about fentanyl
poisonings.
Please help us memorialize our lost loved ones with a Memorial Wall.
Thank you,
Stephanie Fisher – Daniel’s mom; forever 21
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Tennessee Photo Scrolling Wall:
tn.drugepidemicmemorial.org
National Teen Scrolling Wall Of Photos:
https://wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org/photos/teens
National Scrolling Wall Of Photos:
https://wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org/photos
National Scrolling Wall Of Names:
https://wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org/

Awareness
Campaigns
School And Community Prevention Tools
I AM A FORCE FOR CHANGE - SCHOOL/COMMUNITY
PREVENTION TOOLS
Manual For Advocates
I AM A FORCE CHNAGE- PREVENTION MANUAL FOR ADVOCATES
Please feel free to share for awareness, prevention and memorials.
To be included on the Memorial Walls go to:
wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org

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