Obituary shares daughter’s struggle with heroin in her own words
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Photos of Delaney Farrell of Selinsgrove. (Daily Item)
(Selinsgrove) — When Bridget and Brian Farrell included a poem written by their daughter in the 23-year-old woman’s obituary following her fatal heroin overdose in July 2017, they had no idea of the overwhelming response it would get.
“I’m still hearing from people,” said Brian Farrell, of Selinsgrove.
The obituary originally posted on dailyitem.com was viewed more than 2.5 million times in 10 days.
Delaney Farrell fought drug addiction for years and at the time of her death was living in a halfway house in Williamsport and working to stay clean and sober.
The young woman from Snyder County was a prolific writer, penning her battle with drugs in journals and letters to loved ones.
One poem described what addiction felt like and was included in her obituary, which was shared more than 50,000 times on social media.
Funny, I don’t remember no good dope days. I remember walking for miles in a dope fiend haze…
I remember nodding out in front of my sisters kid. I remember not remembering half of the things that I did…
I remember overdosing on my bedroom floor. I remember my sisters cry and my dad having to break down the door…
I remember constantly obsessing over my next score but what I remember most is getting down on my knees and asking God to save me cuz I don’t want to do this no more !!!
Her daughter’s death spurred Bridget Farrell, a Geisinger nurse and Danville resident, to take action and help other addicts. She was invited by her employer to speak at an opioid symposium held by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
At the event, Farrell urged compassion for those struggling with drug addiction and called for more secure treatment facilities where they can safely get clean.
“I want to be a part of the fight to end” the opioid abuse epidemic, she said.
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