Coping With Losing A Child To Addiction | Rich Pagano

CROSSTALK PODCASTS

In this powerful episode, Rich Pagano opens up about his journey as a father navigating the devastating impact of his son Nick's addiction and the profound loss that followed. A professional drummer and music producer, Rich shares the emotional highs and lows of raising a child who struggled with identity, mental health, and substance use.

Rich recounts the early signs of Nick’s struggles with anxiety, self-doubt, and addiction, starting with marijuana and escalating to heroin. He describes the challenges of supporting Nick through treatment programs and the life-altering lessons learned as a parent. After Nick’s passing, Rich and his wife turned their grief into action by establishing the Nick Pagano LGBTQ+ Recovery Scholarship and working to break stigmas around addiction and recovery. Today, Rich reflects on the journey with wisdom and a deep commitment to helping others.

Listeners will gain insights into the complex relationship between mental health and addiction, practical advice for supporting loved ones in recovery, and the importance of transforming grief into purposeful action. Rich’s story inspires hope, compassion, and resilience for anyone facing similar struggles.

Access the full show notes for this episode at crosstalkofficial.com

Video is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSTALKPODCASTS/videos⁠⁠⁠⁠

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