One mother’s mission
Losing her daughter to drugs spurred Charlottetown native to take action to help others
Michelle Dunn once thought her girl was destined for greatness.
Instead, drug addiction battered great promise into oblivion.
“If you were to tell me she was to be someone to die of a heroin overdose, I would say, ‘no way. She is going to rule the world’,’’ says Dunn.
Dunn, a native Islander who grew up in Charlottetown, gave birth to Alyssa Elizabeth Dunn on March 9, 1993, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
She would end up raising Alyssa in Massachusetts, the home state of her husband, David Dunn, who she met while the pair was attending the University of Prince Edward Island. The couple still lives in Massachusetts.
Their daughter was a lively soul who would evolve into a firecracker.
“Alyssa was sassy,’’ recalls Michelle.
“She was my first born. She was one of those kids that just loved the feel of the wind in her face. She was always up for a challenge. She was a climber. She was incredibly bright. She was inquisitive.’’
Alyssa, for the longest time, seemed to have the world by its tail.
She was smart, athletic and attractive.
A popular girl, she was surrounded by friends.
So, when Alyssa started experimenting with alcohol in Grade 9, her parents were not overly alarmed. Naturally, they were not pleased, and there were consequences from her parents.
Pot and OxyContin followed. Soon Alyssa was dependent on opiates.
For a good while, though, she was able to mask her addiction, says Michelle.
In hindsight, though, a damaging drug dependency helps explain what became increasingly unruly behaviour by Alyssa.
She was belligerent with teachers. She was missing school.
Eventually, she told her mother she just could not beat the addiction.
“I know she hated herself in so many ways,’’ says Michelle. “She had a ton of shame.’’ Plenty of action fell short. Five detoxes. Clinical stabilization. Private recovery centres. Tragically, heroin claimed the life of Alyssa Elizabeth Dunn on May 21, 2013, after she had spent three days on life support.
“It was an accidental overdose,’’ says Michelle, who quickly became determined to ensure her daughter’s death would not be in vain.
“In those moments, we knew we were going to do something.’’
What Michelle has gone on to do is likely save the lives of some people, like her daughter, who grew dependent on drugs.
She established the A.E.D. Foundation, which is committed to assisting individuals and their family in the road to recovery from addiction, educating the community by bringing awareness of the disease and defeating the stigma that is associated with drug addiction.
She started a peer recovery centre called Alyssa’s Place.
She has been the lead facilitator of parent support groups and grief groups.
Simply put, she has made it her mission to help fight addiction with all her might.
Michelle is comforted in knowing she is making a difference.
“We have been able to help people,’’ she says.
“We started a conversation because (Alyssa) died.’’
Her tireless work has not gone unnoticed.
Michelle, whose 21-yearold son, Jamieson, is studying communications at Framingham State University, has joined a heralded group called Commonwealth Heroines.
Each year, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women partners with state legislators to identify women who make outstanding contributions to their organizations and communities.
Each legislator is encouraged to submit one woman from their constituency as a means of recognizing their invaluable community contributions.
Sen. Dean A. Tran nominated Michelle, calling her the truest example of a Commonwealth Heroine – a woman dedicated to fighting opioid addiction and giving those fighting substance abuse a second chance.
“There is no greater love than a mother’s love for her child,’’ says Tran.
“After losing her daughter, Alyssa, Michelle took her love for her daughter and shared it with countless people in need of help with the opening of Alyssa’s Place: Peer Recovery and Resource Center. Michelle’s commitment and dedication to providing support to individuals in recovery, seeking help for substance use, loved ones affected by addiction and concerned members of the community are unparalleled. These qualities make Michelle a true heroine.”
Michelle is honoured by the recognition but says she struggles to see herself as a heroine.
Rather, she simply chose out of love for her late daughter to help others.
“I saw a gap missing in services and I saw it addressed,’’ she says.