Heroin Memorial - 2015/09/23 - Alecia Coglianese - Age 24 yrs - Orland Park, Illinois

09/23/2015 - Alecia Coglianese - Age 24 yrs - Orland Park, Illinois
Submitted by: Kim Novak - Parent
Name: Alecia Coglianese
State: Illinois, 60462
Date of Passing: 09/23/2015
Date of Birth: 01/05/1991
Age: 24 

Tell Us About Them:
Alecia was the type of girl you would never forget. She was always willing to help someone, talk, listen, or just put a smile on their face. She loved her Family, friends, animals (especially dogs), holiday's, the Blackhawks, sunsets and the sky, chocolate covered strawberries, cooking, eating, laughing, acting goofy, and had a deep faith all of her life. GOD was her #1 all of her life. Alecia'a smile could light up a room. She was ridiculously friendly, always willing to lend a helping hand, cared deeply for all those that she loved, she wrote poems, and inspirational quotes daily. She was never conceited, mean, judgemental, or needy. Almost every persons path she crossed she left an impression..that couldn't be forgotten. That wasn't everything ..there's So Much my babygirl had to be proud of.

Tell Us About Their Struggles With Addiction:
Alecia's struggle was not easy to spot in the early stages. We didn't realize her own thoughts of being addicted were much earlier than we had known. On the night of my open heart surgery I was on life support. That's the night that forever changed my babygirl. She couldn't deal with sadness, and didn't know how to cope. Since she had already experimented with other drugs she dealt with her mental pain , medical pain, and fear over the outcome of my health the only way she could. She turned to heroin. That November 2009 would lay out a very sad, distructive, demoralized, and a demon took over..the path was horrible, humiliation set in. Alecia battled her way back in the fight of her life. She regained the sparkle in her eyes, a full time job, surrounded by her family and friends. A year and a half of sobriety. The demon kept knocking at Alecia's soul. After all that she accomplished she gave in to that demon for another round. She had multiple failed attempts at a sobriety and had at least 3 successful 6 month runs. From Nov 2009 until Sept. 2015 she had a little over 3 years added up together sober. The rest of the time was all that drug has to offer. Distance, disease, arrests, disgust, hopelessness, disappointment, distructive decisions, and death. She fought so hard to get back. She fought to the bitter end. Her tattoo said "stay sober or die trying" she tried with all she had. Medical problems and a bad decision from a facility that was suppose to be helping her sealed her fate.

What Made Them Smile?
Almost Everything!! She had a smile most of her life!! She was easy to please, she wasn't high maintenance, material possessions weren't a priority, she required very little and was happy from giving and helping others.

What Do You Miss the Most About Them?
I miss it All! Her live to love motto. The laughter, the smiles, the love, the helping out way about her, the way she shared her ice cream cone w Reno her dog. Her doggie talk like a baby talk. Her family 1st way about her. Her OCD cleaning, her appreciation, her chocolate covered strawberries, her many, many, many, cards, letters, notes, and thank you's. Her hospitality, her friendly ways, her thoughtfulness, her scent, the family photo soldier, the watching the Blackhawks game yelling at the TV. Whether it was good or bad we had to get rowdy! Singing in the car, having dinner together, her compassion to family, friends, and her "puppies" her prayers out loud kneeling at her bed, her banging the razor on the shower wall so hard you wondered what the heck is she shaving?? Her surprising someone with treats, her willingness to lend a hand, her slurping her lip when you had her favorite food, her driving like a speed racer you thought the car was surely on 2 wheels when you made that turn. She's a permanent tattoo ...I may not see her but I know shes always with me. My love is where she is, was, and will alway be. I'll tell her all about it "when I see her again" I love and miss you BABYGIRL!!!

If You Had a Chance to Say One More Thing to Your Angel What Would It Be?
I will Love you forever and I'm proud of You, You fought so hard to the end.
God saved You he did exactly what you asked him to do. I'll see you when I get there babygirl.

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