A 29-year-old Maine man died of a drug overdose recently. He had just celebrated one full year of sobriety.

You hear stories like this every day, but this one particularly resonated with us. The man was known to Greater Portland’s recovery community because his sister is a leader of the Scarborough Police Department’s Operation Hope. HOPE stands for Heroin-Opiate Prevention Effort and the project helps Maine residents find treatment for heroin and opiate addiction.

The victim’s sister, in a post on her Facebook page, wrote this:

“My brother, who has been doing amazingly well in his recovery, died alone in his apartment in Portland overnight,” Higgins wrote. “He recently celebrated his one-year sobriety. Believe me when I tell you it only takes ONE TIME relapsing to lose your life. I am devastated. He could have asked for help and I would have done anything for him. Substance use disorder is a lifelong disease, don’t ever take that for granted.”

Such heartfelt words from a grieving sister and a recovery professional. It only takes once.

For the published newspaper story go here.