Wednesday, March 29, 2006

MAKING THE PAIN GO AWAY

It is difficult -- almost impossible -- to dismiss the power of heroin when you're tightly bundled in its warm embrace. Nothing is wrong when the opioid takes over; even when the drug wears off and you feel the torment of Want, you don't blame the powder because it's the only truth that makes things better.

This week, the San Francisco Chronicle has a compelling read on Rhonda Bye, a former model who died at 39 after years of heroin and crack addiction.

There are three photos of Bye with the story. Look at her before the ravaging began, and then see what she became.

"This is not how I wanted to end up," she told the newspaper in 2004, as she begged for money on a highway off-ramp. Sadly, she got what she did not want.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since I am one who likes pics of pretty girls those photos were *very* difficult to look at ... I wish that this article and the photos were required reading for every high schooler.

I don't know if you have ever heard the term "meth mouth" -- but she has a typical case ... ask your typical teen if they want theirs to look like that.

And I cry for her. And wish her peace at last.

Anonymous said...

This story is so sad and anything that steers people away from drugs is positive. It also irks me a bit.
I mean, how many horrific things happen to people every day because of drug addiction- losing your home, your family, your health, your children, robbery, prostitution, murder, prison...
And this story is so compelling why? Because she used to be pretty.
I don't know. Something about that just rubs me the wrong way. Like, "Look! She used to be a MODEL and she ruined her looks with drugs!" As if it's only terrible because she used to be beautiful. She probably had a lot more to offer the world than a pretty face.
What a shame.