Rent Life After You: What Your Death from Drugs Leaves Behind

Synopsis

On February 23, 2014, Linda Lajterman's world was shattered when she found her 19 year-old son, Danny, dead in his bedroom. He had overdosed on a drug sold to him by a father in the neighborhood who had been dealing to the local high school students. In the midst of her grief, Linda posted a warning on Facebook, pleading with other parents to resist the "not my son" mentality. The response was overwhelming. She received thousands of messages not only from parents in the U.S., but also from parents in South Africa, Australia, and many countries in Europe and South America. That outpouring encouraged Linda to write, "Life After You: What Your Death from Drugs Leaves Behind," a cautionary tale meant to shock and hopefully deter young people from using drugs. Linda's story resonates with other parents because they can easily identify with her situation. Linda and her husband, Tito, have been happily married for 31 years. They have two older children who were very close to their younger brother. The Lajterman home in New Jersey was a gathering place for relatives and friends and Danny always took part in those activities. "We learned the hard way," Linda said. "We were hit with a triple whammy: we find our son dead in his room, we learn he was using drugs, and we learned that the drug dealer was the father of three living in the next town over. I hoped to wake everyone up. The pain, the shock, the trauma was horrible. If it could happen to Danny, it could very easily happen to other kids." In a "Note to Parents" at the beginning of the book, Linda advises adults "to place this book in the hands of a young adolescent, teen, or young adult who needs to confront the cold, hard facts of drug abuse." Linda's book is not a drug encyclopedia; she does not list the various substances, what they look like, or their effects. Rather, she takes a young person through the aftermath of death, including what happens to the family left behind. As she states in the book: "It's not a pretty picture." Although Linda is a nurse, she is not an expert on substance abuse. Unfortunately, she has now become an expert on what happens when a family member dies of a drug overdose. Writing "Life After You" just two months after Danny's death was her way of coping with tremendous loss. Her mission now is to prevent other families from experiencing that pain. Already Linda's message is being hailed by drug abuse professionals who believe her book could serve as a much needed wake up call for both parents and their children. Here's what they have to say: '`Life After You' challenges the decision-making process of at-risk drug users by having them think and feel-out a myriad of emotional and factual consequences of death. Lajterman offers advice for those struggling with either their own or a friend's drug use or abuse. The human spirit's drive for compassion is captured in her plea -- let not another loved one die nor family suffer."  Gregory G. Lomuti, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist ,Alcohol/Drug Counseling Emeritus Status "Finally, someone has tried to take the bull by the horns and gone on the offensive against the addiction epidemic.  I would encourage each parent to read this first and then encourage each of their children to do the same." David Ray Co-Founder of Cross Keys Retreat and Number 16 "Linda Lajterman has created an incredible cautionary tale that might just save another family a tragic loss to an overdose death. In the midst of this American epidemic where we are losing our loved ones in record numbers, this book is literally a message to the grave without having to lose your life to receive it."    Michael Deleon, President Steered Straight, Inc. "Linda Lajterman's book is a mandatory read for all parents and for all school districts that are not too risk averse to use it. Better to advise and admonish now, than to offer condolences.  We should never have to bury our children." D & M Los Angeles, California

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