from a drug overdose. Here is his story.
Landen Hausman had an amazing holiday weekend. He went on a ski trip with a friend and his family, and, for the first time ever, successfully navigated a black diamond slope. Landen’s girlfriend was waiting to pick him up on his return and they spent the day together.
At 12:15 AM on Monday morning, January 17, 2022, Landen arrived at home. I did a wellness check to make sure he was in good spirits and sober. That’s because for two years Landen struggled with depression, which led to alcohol and drug use. He had a series of crisis events that led my wife and I to get him help and support.
Landen was more than fine. He was excited about his basketball game on Tuesday and talked about making plans for spring break. He was in a good place.
After telling me he planned to shower and that he would see me in the morning, Landen went into his bathroom, cut a straw in half, crushed up a pill, and snorted it. We have yet to receive the autopsy report, although the police suspect the pill was laced with fentanyl.
The next morning at 6 AM I discovered Landen on the floor of his bathroom. He has naked; his face covered in blood from the rupture of blood vessels in his nose. Landen was gone.
I share this story with you because as a society we tend to hide the issue of depression, anxiety, and the resulting drug abuse in the shadows. Teenagers and young adults even romanticize it. At the candlelight vigil held in his honor, two of his classmates told me this was how Landen wanted to go out – just like the musician Kurt Cobain.
At the Celebration of Landen’s Life my wife and I hosted, I provided my perspective on Landen’s story with the more than 400 friends, family, classmates, and teammates who gathered to remember him. Here is a video posted on Facebook of my remarks about Landen’s death.
If you are comfortable, please share this with your children, with your family, with your friends. There is no shame in Landen’s death. I just want to prevent this tragedy from befalling another family.
Marc Hausman can be reached at [email protected]
Thank you for sharing your son’s story at Holy Child today. Your speech had a huge impact on my 15 year old daughter and her friends. In their friend group chat today, they made a pack to never try drugs. May God bless you and your family. I am truly sorry for your loss.