Anthony Persechino

The world did not know you, you were just another addict who overdosed.  To those who did, you were a son, uncle, grandson, and friend. To me, Michael, Jill, Corey and Blair, you were our brother.  To the boxing world, you were the Boxing Regional Champion at the Lake Placid Junior Olympics.

After an injury and having shoulder surgery, he quickly became addicted to pain medicine which numbed the loss of his mother.  He was completely devastated when he lost her to cancer at the age of 13.  Being older than him, I became his second mother.  We had different mothers, but we were always close.  After he lost her he was terrified to be alone.

The world saw a confident young man but he hid behind the struggles in his mind and heart.  Despite my love for him, it was not enough to shield him from his inner pain.  I held him the day he was born, the day he lost his mother, and was the one who found him the day he left this world.  I held him in my harms until the ambulance arrived so he wouldn’t be alone.  That day he took hold of his mother’s hand once again and let go of mine. HIs pain was over.  his addiction did not, nor every will define him in my eyes.  He was my baby brother, my everything, my rock!  Goodbye my baby brother, until we meet again.