Joseph Robert Fowler

Joseph Robert Fowler, at 31 years old, departed this life on Thursday, September 28. Joseph was a son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, and friend. He is survived by his parents, Kathy and Joe Fowler of Gainesville, GA as well as his sister, Anna Wildes, brother-in-law Eric Wildes, and two nephews, also of Gainesville, GA.

Like all of us, Joseph's parents rejoiced in his beauty as an infant with big, deep eyes, and a relaxed personality. He was adventurous as a little boy and into his adulthood with fearless desires to achieve daring physical acts, like attempting to chop down a "twee" with a butcher knife and jumping into beautiful rivers from majestic rocks and age-old trees. He excelled on wheels whether a bike, inline skates, or in a shopping cart down the neighborhood street with his best buddies! His body was strong and capable, and he took pride in the tattoos that adorned his skin as displays of his religious beliefs, his origins, and also his past transgressions. Joseph could devour a book in hours, especially if it was related to the topic of American history, as he often remarked that he should have been set down on this earth during Civil War times rather than the present one. His mind and heart were deep and filled with knowledge of how to interact with others with sensitivity and humor, especially those in the later years of their lives. Joseph was a natural in the kitchen with a special talent for preparing meat, and enjoying watching others' pleasure in his creations. He will be missed immensely, remembered constantly, and loved always by so many.

Due to a heroin overdose, the light of a funny, intelligent, kind-hearted spirit was taken from our lives by a senseless and relentless drug. Our family asks that you realize that no one is immune to the epidemic of opioid and heroin addiction that encumbers our culture. We fought as hard as we knew how to help Joseph, and our constant hope of his recovery dashed so senselessly is devastating. We must fight hard against these drugs, prevalent everywhere, because they defile the brain's ability to make sound decisions in order to save one's self.

Condolences may be expressed at www.mcdonaldandson.com.

Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home, 150 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 886.9899Dear Family and Friends,

If you are reading this, you know that our Joseph died on Thursday, September 28th due to a drug overdose. He was living in Cleveland, Georgia working as a cook at a restaurant in Helen. Joseph had been drug free for at least 8 months after voluntarily living at Bridges of Hope, a recovery center in Chauncey, GA. Joseph had struggled with addiction for many years and had been in several recovery centers as well as tried opiate substitutes under the care of a Psychiatrist. We were quite optimistic that he was going to do well this time as he had the support of several friends who were in their own recovery processes. He had even attended a Narcotics Anonymous meeting Tuesday night with one of those special friends.
The nature of this disease, and it is a disease, is baffling and unpredictable. Addicts struggle every day to stay strong enough to remain drug free. We traveled to Helen to find him on Thursday evening after a friend came by to personally tell us that she was concerned by his lack of response to her social phone calls. Joe and I were prepared to find him in a relapse, but were more finally prepared to accept it with love and support to get back up and try again. But this time we didnt get the chance. The drugs killed him.
People who struggle with addiction are dealing with a real physical disability, a brain filled with receptors craving drugs and persistent in hampering the efforts of the rest of the brains abilities to counteract them.
Knowing all this, as loved ones, you are told many things on how to treat addiction both physically and mentally. You are told to use the tough love approach, or the medical approach using Suboxone or Vivitrol, or the short or long term recovery programs. It is a roller coaster of unknowns and self doubt. There is no clear answer to this affliction, and there is no clear answer as to why it even started in the first place.
Our family will always wonder what we could have done differently. There will always be guilt, but also the knowledge that we tried in so many different ways to help and support him. Knowing all this doesn't make it any easier, but if sharing our story and grief helps one recovering addict, Joseph's death will not have been in vain.
For those of you who are in recovery, please reach out to someone as soon as you feel the need to use. Don't wait until you are drowning in a deep, dark hole. If I had known Joseph was struggling, I would have physically gone to him and not let him go. The pain I feel as well as his family and friends for not having had that opportunity will remain with us forever. Asking for help is the most generous gift of love you can give your family.
We are having a private memorial service for Joseph and are asking that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to Bridges of Hope Trust, 74 CL Tucker Drive, Chauncey, GA 31011. I have lost my beautiful boy. My fearless adventurer. My practical joker. My willing gardener and hole digger. A piece of my everything; my son.

-Kathy Fowler