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.
This was hard for me to read. Another young beautiful soul taken too soon. Shes not suffering any longer and can peacefully watch over her loved ones. Hate this epidemic and everything it takes from everyone. Especially family members and the innocent children 🙁 sorry for your loss. Rip beautiful Megan.
My heart broke to read this. I know exactly how Megans parents are feeling. We lost our daughter in March. She suffered from depression most of her life, and tried to self-medicate by taking the extra opiates that her husband had been prescribed after major surgery. Unfortunately she became addicted and when the pills ran out, she turned to heroin. Thus began a horror story for everyone involved that lasted several years not know when the call would come that she was dead. We expected death by overdose, or maybe being killed in a drug deal gone wrong. But our call came while we were having dinner on March 11. It was the warden of the county prison. He bluntly said: Im sorry to inform you that your daughter is deceased. She had hung herself.
I agree with Megans parents that there has to be a better way to treat this disease. Addiction is the only disease where the person suffering is turned into a criminal for trying to ease their suffering. Harm Reduction is the path forward to treat addiction and prevent these unnecessary deaths like Megan and my daughter who left behind three children. Honest obituaries like Megans parents wrote will help.
Coming from someone who has had addiction issues before, I have to say that anyone who either can’t get clean or leave us too early, arent even considering what happens afterwards. I survived a suicide attempt and it made me realize what it would have done to my folks. But, when at that place, your mind can’t think of snything except escaping thier reality now. My heart goes out to each and every family or friends dealing with this. God be with you all!
Our system failed her, and failed her children. Not only by beginning the overprescribing of opiates, but then all over again by the lack of treatment options available for her to recover. Its a vicious circle, and its truly a tragic story for so many of our loved ones!
The system is broken.!
God bless her and her family and those kids!
From my grieving heart to yours. A kind woman told me that some of us make better angels than people. I’m sure she was talking about your girl and mine. I lost my daughter Claire Lajoie to an overdose on 9/13/19, a day after she turned 22. No parent should know the loss of a child. The complicit local, state and federal leadership believes it’s too broad and deep a problem to fix. An entire generation will be lost to opiates if we don’t. Keep talking. Keep advocating. Keep praying. And VOTE. Peace.
I am so sorry for your loss. I also lost my son Kevin at age 29 due to addiction to opioids. He also incurred a horrific accident and was prescribed theses drugs at age 16. After 13 years of prison several releases and relapses he lost his battle. I am not sure how these drugs can be legal especially since they ultimately lead to the death of our loved one’s. God bless the family
I’m so sorry to read this. I am raising my granddaughter because of this awful disease and mental illness. I refused to let DCF take her from our family and I am committed to raising her and giving her the love she deserves. May you be comforted in knowing she is at peace and you will see her again someday., God willing.
I feel for this family and her children. As the adoptive parent of 3 wonderful kiddos whom also suffered the loss of their mother at a young age due to opiate overdose (also in a recovery center)….. I am so sorry and may they get the therapy/counseling they will need…. also know the love their mother had for them and can open their hearts to accept the love and encouragement of the people in their lives 🙂 never stop talking about her, display pictures, and seek answers to their questions with honesty and understanding 🙂 much love!!
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I have a 29 year old son that has battled opiate addiction for over a decade. The Doctors that hand out prescriptions in generous portions are the root of this problem. I’ve seen my son steal, I’ve seen him on life support multiple times and I continue daily to watch his struggles to stay clean. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Prayers to the family and all that loved Megan!!!! Yes there needs to be more help for those addicted!!!! We all need to push for more help for addiction, one that all can afford.