Author • Speaker • Advocate • Peer Grief Ally

About Michael

I never imagined I would one day be speaking publicly about addiction, grief, and fentanyl awareness. Like many parents, I believed these tragedies happened somewhere else—to other families, other communities, other people. Then, on January 20, 2025, my 26-year-old son Robert died from a fentanyl-laced counterfeit Xanax pill, and my life changed forever.

In the aftermath of losing Robert, I found myself searching for answers—not only about what happened to him, but about addiction itself. I wanted to understand why people struggling with addiction often isolate themselves, why they don’t ask for help, and why families so often miss the warning signs until it’s too late. That search led me deep into the science of addiction, the realities of shame and relapse, and the devastating impact fentanyl is having on families across the country.

I am a retired dentist, father, author, and advocate, but more than anything, I am a parent who loved his son deeply. Through my writing and speaking, I hope to help families feel less alone, encourage more honest conversations about addiction, and support greater awareness, prevention, education, and research. If sharing Robert’s story helps even one family recognize danger earlier or opens the door to compassion and understanding, then his life—and his memory—will continue to matter in meaningful ways.

If my story resonates with you, I invite you to reach out. Whether you are a parent, someone struggling, a healthcare professional, or a person carrying your own grief or questions about addiction, I hope this work reminds you that you are not alone.