Kelly

I am an RN who is also an addict. Alcohol and prescription medications with 5 years of recovery.

I worked for a short time at SpiritLife where I met Luke. The day I met him, he offered me some of his famous tiramisu.

After we first opened, Luke filled in a 12 hour counselor night shift. We only had one patient that night, so Luke and I basically sat down one on one and talked. All night long.

What a fantastic person I met! We talked of our common bond experiences with addiction. He talked all night about his family, his addiction and recovery, and growing up in a household amid 6 sisters.

He spoke about moving to the Midwest and having been previously engaged, and how his addiction destroyed his dream.

He spoke all about his work in Cenecolo, I heard all about Mexico, Italy, and Alabama. He spoke so fondly about Leo. He showed me pictures all night long as he spoke of everyone he loved.

I grew up in a household as the oldest child with 3 brothers. By the next morning, I felt like I had 4.

He spoke so lovingly about Desiree and Bella. He and Des had just returned from Mexico from a wedding where he was able to introduce Desiree to Leo and everyone in his life prior to returning to Indiana. I wasn't surprised when they became engaged shortly after.

Never in my life have I ever gotten to know someone so quickly. All night long got long we never had a dip or a lull in the conversation. It was like a kinship. I wasn't sure if he was always so open with people he first met or if we just commonly related to each other because of our disease.

Later, I would come to find it didn't matter. It was just who he was. Since he worked the grounds on day shift and I was permanent 12 hour nights, I didn't see much of him after that. In the evenings after the clients held their 12 step meeting, they would call their temporary sponsors just to check in at the end of the day. For the med, more often than not, that was Luke.
He took the time and had the patience to speak to each client individually, advising them based on the individual for whom they were, not just as if they were just a number.

He was the reason many of those clients stayed in recovery. More than once at any hour of the night when I would have clients ready to walk out, I knew I could call Luke and that if anyone could convince them to stay, he could.

And he did.

I left SpiritLife shortly after, and subsequently would only cross paths in 'the rooms' (12 step meetings).

I was once told that the reason you hug each other in NA is because with this disease, you never know if your going to see that person again. When JP notified me of Luke's passing, the first thing I asked myself was 'Did I hug Luke the last time I saw him?' Yes, thank God, I did!

When Luke died, I was devastated as everyone who knew him was. After talking with him all night, I felt like I'd known him my whole life. And I felt like I had known you, your parents, and your sisters my whole life.

I ordered your dads book returning to the light. I read it twice, in one sitting.

When we talked that night he didn't minimize it. He didn't sugarcoat it . He didn't short change it. He told me what his life had been, and what it came to be. And where he was now.
Luke was real. Every bit. Every minute. He was real. And his journey was real.

Unfortunately, so was his end.

I've been following your family since Luke's death. Celebrating August 19th. Reading your articles about grieving Luke. Even your sister, Grace just posted that 'Grief is the price we pay for love.'

My heart is broken for you and your whole family.  If you see my posting yesterday about using the self checkout at the grocery store, I think you'll see what I mean.

Thank you for sharing your grief and allowing me to be a part of it. I wish you all peace, warmth and comfort.

And I am going to the cemetery to find the glitter covered grave....