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Ephraim David Schultz

My Son Ephraim David Schultz was born July 19, 1983 and died May 12, 2005, from a massive overdose of opiates, methadone and other substances. He was only 21 years old. Before I became pregnant with him, believe it or not I had a dream and in that dream I was told I would have a son and should name him Ephraim. At that point in time I had never heard of that name and when I looked it up in I discovered that in Hebrew it means, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." Little did I know at the time how prophetic that would be. Ephraim was a kind, sensitive and loving young boy and grew into a young man with a lot of promise at his fingertips. He was a young chess champion, as well as on the junior national honor roll. His brother and him went to private Christian schools, then Buffalo public schools and then a Catholic parochial school in 8th grade. There as well as in the suburbs of Buffalo he was introduced to marijuana. From marijuana he quickly was introduced to harder drugs in the prestigious suburb of Buffalo called Clarence, NY where kids have enough money to buy the drugs they want. Thus began the struggle of this kindhearted, promising young man who was and is my son. He spent his days and weekends at Antique World in Clarence, NY where he loved the Pumpkin Festival and the weekend flea market. Although quiet and polite he soon was well known throughout the market area as always being helpful with a quick smile and hello to everyone. He loved gardening and landscaping and worked for some of the companies in the Clarence area. However he struggled with depression, wanting to fit in and be accepted by his peers and all the other issues that go along with being sensitive. On the evening of his death he left work (he had not been feeling well that week). He apparently went to a party in Clarence where he was sold opiates given to a mother by a local doctor. Actually -- two local doctors. She had no need for these medications and hence had been giving them to her son to sell to the kids in Clarence. A year prior this young man was arrested and when he stood before the Judge all charges were dismissed. My son took these drugs given to him at this party and went to his cousin's home, that he was watching while his cousin was out of town. His cousin's room mates, girlfriend was there and spoke to him before he went to lay in his cousin, Benjamin's bed. There 16 hrs later he was pronounced dead. People knew something was wrong but they didn't want to call the police because there were pot plants in the basement. My son could have been saved but he was not because the girl with him was afraid to get help. So he lay in his cousins bed dying and alone. They found him on his left side, with his hands to his nose where a profusion of blood was expelled. His heart literaly blew up and as a result he had what is know to Medical Examiners as a cardiac collar around his neck and upper chest area. That day I had worked 12 hrs in a Psychiatric hospital in NC where I practiced as an R.N. My younger son Josiah was down in NC with me. When I arrived home and after showering I noticed my ex husband had called me. Within minutes I heard my younger son downstairs in the parlor pound the table with all his might and screamed out “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”I ran downstairs and thus began the nightmare that has claimed my life. Josiah would not give me the phone initially and kept waving me away with his hands. I thought something had happened to his Father. I was then given the phone and when I heard my EX Husbands voice on the other end my world began to darken. “Tell me, I screamed”. “Tell me” Bill could hardly speak and say the words.” Two Sheriffs came to the door and they found Ephraim…….”, he said. I kept screaming for him to finish. I was hysterical. When he finally said it I began screaming “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”. I quickly packed my clothing and within 45 minutes Josiah and I began the long 12 hr drive home to Buffalo, NY. We drove right to the morgue. This was the worst day of my life and my heart felt like it broke in two when I heard that my older son was dead at the very young age of 21 yrs . This is a nightmare no parent should ever go through. But I did. This is a club that I never wanted to join. But I have. This was a nightmare that could have been prevented if his “friends” had intervened. If there were tougher drug laws. If the Doctors writing these scripts were held more accountable. If there were adequate screenings prior to writing scripts for opiates. We were unable to prosecute because the police could not “prove” that this boy (who later bragged to people that the drugs he sold Ephraim killed him) sold the drugs to Ephraim. Though the kids in Clarence, NY knew he had. Our lives have been altered in a way that we could have never envisioned, by Ephraims death. A young life filled with promise of a bright future ended. How many more children and adults have to die before somebody wakes up and realizes that we have a war on American soil? It is the war on drugs. It has killed and destroyed more American lives than all of our so called wars on Terrorism. The terrorists are here. They are called drugs. They are pushed by the whore of America, the Pharmaceutical industry as well as so called “street drugs”. When will this war end? How many more children will die?

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