Congratulations on the excellent article by David Fetzer’s mother, Betsy Ross [“David Fetzer’s Last Act,” Dec. 12, City Weekly].

Ms. Ross writes a beautiful, though painful, memoir of her son. I cannot imagine wanting to live after losing a child, no matter at what age that child may have died. Her pain is still very raw.

Ross also makes an important indictment of the medical professionals who prescribe addictive painkillers such as Percocet and Oxycontin. I agree that there should be more stringent controls of who prescribes, as well as who receives, these opioids.

Unfortunately, Ross missed the opportunity to intervene on David’s behalf, to speak up forcefully and loudly admit to herself, to her son and to their family physician that her beloved son was addicted to Percocet.

To recognize this missed opportunity is to help other families recognize ways they could intervene, I would hope.

Sandra Reus
Sandy