Megan Angelina Webbley, 31, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 29. Specifically, she died of an overdose, finally losing her battle with addiction. She was in Manchester, N.H., seeking treatment for her addiction. We have no clear picture of what went wrong. Megan leaves behind her mother, Dorothy Provenzano, of Boca Raton, Fla.; her father, Edwin Webbley, of Middlebury, Vt.; and her brother, Michael Henderson, of Los Angeles, Calif.; as well as many loving cousins, aunts and uncles. She also left behind four beautiful children who were collectively the light of her dark life.
Though shadowed by opiate addiction, Megan enjoyed a big smile and an infectious laugh. She loved all kinds of music, dancing and doing her makeup. Empathetic in the extreme, she was the underdog’s biggest advocate. And against all circumstances, when she could be, she was a loving, gentle and doting mother. Just last year, she spent a few hours in the pool with all four kids (the youngest has since been adopted by a loving family), and it was a rollicking, madcap outing featuring a waterslide and peals of laughter. It was at that point when she was the happiest we had seen her in years.
Megan grew up in St. Albans and Georgia, Vt., participating in dance and swimming. She proved to be an adventuresome reader and a fearless jumper off cliffs. But on July 1, 2005, she was once again at a cliff on Eagle Bay in Burlington. I was sitting at my desk on the first day of a new job, and a Vermont State Policeman called to tell me to drive to the emergency room at the University of Vermont Medical Center. I was told that she had been pushed off the cliffs and hit the rocks below … with her face. Having been rescued by a man in a kayak and EMTs, she was being stitched up, and her jaw was wired shut. They suspected a TBI, but when they prescribed her liberal doses of opiates, she lost control of her life. She would be in and out of rehab — and jail — for the next 14 years.
To editorialize, I am hoping that the Department for Children and Families rethinks its mission to be the punisher of addicted mothers, the separator of families and the arbiter of children’s futures, and instead embrace a mission of enhanced rehabilitation. We, as a state, are overwhelmed by addiction. We have almost nowhere to turn. I encourage enhanced funding for treatment in general and using DCF as a gateway for mothers with addiction to get help. Because, as one would guess, once the mother is separated from her children, desperation sets in, even with the brightest and most determined of mothers — and Megan Angelina Webbley was that bright and determined mother … with a fatal disease and a dearth of treatment options.
—Submitted by Megan’s father
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This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2019.
Megan had a beautiful and bright heart. She loved her children so, so much and they are so adorable. I am so sorry for the pain you are feeling right now.
I just lost my dear sister of 35 who also battled opiate addiction. Her children were taken also and the torture and pain this caused led to more anguish and mental illness and more and more pills. ultimately she died from side effects of the many, many drugs she was prescribed. A modern tragedy. I am feeling your pain and sorrow and wish for something better for moms struggling.
I am so sorry for your loss. We must make the opioid epidemic a national emergency. We must provide the same focus as we did to deal with the AIDS crisis. We are losing our children and our future by the hour to this disease. When will the politicians make this the priority it must be?
We are mothers first and foremost even with that little devil on our shoulders with very difficult deliveries I to was prescribed endless opioids to a very long and dark road With the support of my amazing husband and beautiful daughters I was able to overcome this demon I pray for those that are on the road to recovery and most of all the ones we have lost along the way may your spirit rest may your pain be gone and my your heart live on
My condolences to your family. I do not know any of you, however, I feel I have known Megan. See 31yrs ago, when Megan was born, I was in the grips of amphetamine addiction! I am as Megan will always be, a wonderful person with a very bad drug habit.
It is not an easy disease deal with. But by the Grace of God I have been clean & sober 32yrs!
May You be blessed for sharing the loss of Megan to save lives,educate & support the tragedy that can potentially strike & has stricken so many families. Most of us have or know families that have dealt with the fears or the facts of such an addictive illness. Condolences to You & Your Family
So Sorry For The Loss of this Woman and this sends a powerful message. My Prayers go out to her Family; especially her children. Another gone too soon. Prayers.
My wife & I are sending our deepest condolences to Megans children, her family and to all her friends. Our family lost Prince Rogers Nelson to an Opioid overdose in April 2016. To the world he was the legendary rockstar but to me he was my younger cousin who I loved very much. I know it took a lot of courage to share your daughters story and the pain associated with losing someone so special.
Charles & Victoria Smith
M I N N E A P O L I S, M I N N E S O T A
Justice4cuz.com
This is so sad! Much love for the family speaking out against the ways of DCF. Everything they said is true..once they take your kids the total sense of loss & desperation sets in and there is NEVER anyone there to properly address that. It’s the unfair downfall of way too many. I’m sure this poor, beautiful girl felt hopeless & defeated. I pray that you all are somehow able to find peace
I am so sorry for your loss and the pain her children must be feeling. I pray all are healed from this experience.
Celeste Taylor