Kayla's Story

Returning what we thought were several missed calls from our daughter Kayla, the voice on the other end wasn’t what we expected. The police department informed us our daughter was found unresponsive and was taken to Twin Cities Hospital. Just minutes away we drove, all the while like I’m sure most would do, you’re thinking ok this is not good but we will get her through whatever and things will be alright. As we ran into the hospital we were taken into a side room where the nurse so kindly let us know our daughter had been down a long time, I just remember hitting the floor, still thinking this is not good but we wanted to see her and be with her and all would be okay in time. I just remember walking past the curtains into where she was, the Dr. was just walking away.” We did all we could”, She says. At that moment I felt the life be sucked out of me, I was numb from head to toe, this was a nightmare, not Kayla, not my child, NOT MY CHILD! As we stood there caressing her hair, kissing her, looking over every part of my babies body just lying there, so still, so quiet, so lifeless, while the whole time thinking how do I tell her three brothers, who at the time were 27, 18 and 9. How do I tell her aunt and cousins and hundreds of friends who grew up with her, her whole life right here in the same town? This is the nightmare many parents fear and the one club no parent ever wants to join. I had lost my baby girl, my child, and part of my heart that can never be replaced! Later the story of what happened unfolded. She had headed to slo with so-called friends. Ending up at a house to party. Kayla’s blood alcohol was very high and she had a major overdose of Morphine in her system which we later learned how. It was then learned that one of the individuals she had been with all night was known to have had morphine pills. She was transported the next morning after not being able to be awakened, carried into the car, and drove 30-40 minutes to her house in Atascadero. She was carried in and left in her bed. A roommate came in but shortly after seeing Kayla went to bed. Only for another roommate to wake an hour later to find her unresponsive. Sadly this only added to our heartbreak, to know she could have been saved if just one of many had just made the call or taken her to the hospital instead of leaving her in her bed. What? Oh to sleep it off!