Recovery Connections Network

Saturday, July 15, 2017

My name is Marty Henehan, On July 16th, 1992. God gave me and my wife the most precious of gift. He gave us our beautiful daughter Samantha "Sammi" Henehan. She was a beauty queen pageant winner as a toddler and happy loving child. She was kind and generous to those less fortunate and would always stick up for and root for the underdog.

I was a father who struggled with a drug and alcohol problem for many years that prevented me from being the father she deserved. Her mother for many years played both roles of parents and made sure that she never went without anything.

In Sammi's early teens she too started her own struggles with addiction. After seeing the path she was headed in we, me and my wife, had her admitted to a treatment facility for adolescents with addiction. After a short relapse upon coming home she went back in at the age of 17 and stayed sober for three years, she recreated herself as a personal banker for a nationally know Financial institution, at one point coming in as one of the top three bankers in northeast Pennsylvania.

This all accomplished with no college degree. But her real passion in life was helping others, particularly those other young girls who were struggling with addiction. Many of which attribute their sobriety today to her kindness and encouragement to just get ONE MORE DAY SOBER!

Unfortunately the disease of addiction is a very powerful disease and she was lured back to the drugs and alcohol again. My wife and I did all we could do. Sending her back to multiple treatment centers, sober houses, even going so far as to have her arrested and locked up to get her to stop.

Then on April 10th of 2016. We found her deceased in a motel room from an accidental drug overdose.

My wife and I being in recovery ourselves and knowing how passionate Sammi was about helping others. When we were making those final arrangements that no parent should ever have to make. My wife made the decision to do something that was unheard of in our area. She put in the paper the actual cause of death. When asked by our local officials and television stations "WHY", we said we wanted to "STOP THE WHISPERS" . We knew that it was something Sammi would want to be told.

Last year on July 17th, with the help and support of our local community we launched THE FOREVER SAMMI FOUNDATION. At the VERY FIRST ADDICTION AWARENESS RALLY in memory of Samantha. We were told, "Don't be upset if not too many people show up, alot of people don't want to talk publicly about it." Our response? That is EXACTLY WHY WE ARE DOING IT! There are so many people who are struggling in silence.

Our annual event this year is July 16th, from 3-7 pm
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It will be a day that we will be celebrating Sammis 25th birthday. Our foundation raises money to help financially bridge the gap for people with no money, who may otherwise be homeless upon completion of treatment and we set then in a safe,sober environment.

Learn more @ Forever Sammi Organization. Or email us atforeversammi23@gmail.com and by phone at (570) 344-2863

Please come out to support the memory of Sammi on July 16th, from 3-7 pm.

Lackawanna County Courthouse Square

Washington & Adams Avenues,Scranton, PA 18503