Ernest Eugene
May 2, 1969 - April 8, 2015
Ernest Eugene was a man who loved his family, friends, and the loyal dogs that were always by his side. Known for his exceptional skills as a logger, he had the talent to drop a tree with precision, claiming he could land it between two pennies and still give you change.
Sadly, Ernest lost his life to addiction in April 2015 at the age of 45. He is now reunited with his son, Baby Ernie, who was born sleeping in 1990 due to complications from his mother’s addiction. Their story serves as a reminder of the devastating toll addiction can take on families, and they are remembered with love and deep respect. I am sharing their story on behalf of his wife, and the mother of baby Ernie.
In Memory of Baby Ernie
Born Sleeping on October 8, 1990
Baby Ernie was born sleeping on October 8, 1990, a precious life lost due to complications from his mother’s addiction. Though his time was brief, his memory remains close to the hearts of those who loved him.
His mother (Carolyn Wilson) wrote this poem in 1998, reflecting on her journey through addiction, loss, and faith:
_"As time marks another year without all my kids in my life, it makes me wonder how would my life be if I made just a few choices differently. One faithful night so many years ago when I decided to start a five day binge, what would have happened if I would have not done any? Common sense tells me that if I would have slept when my 3-month-old baby wouldn't stop crying, I would have never doubled up my fist to her. No, I did not hit her, but close enough. Being as addicted as I was, although I hadn't been using that long, I would have thought of getting off the dope instead of signing her life over to someone else. Another different choice.
In a short time, I no longer was a mom. I drowned myself further into the meth and, well, child number two was conceived. Of course, I stopped using as soon as the test came back positive, but the damage was done. The cord was three times too long, and the child was too active, a lethal combination. Life was not kind enough to take him early on before you feel him kick or pick out names. No, life was so bittersweet to take him five days overdue. Giving birth to a dead child was the second hardest thing I ever had to do, next only to burying my own child.
Well, common sense took a back seat again when someone offered me crack cocaine. So many wasted months on that. I traded all my baby's things I had for it and more. But God smiled on me and picked me up out of my hell and gave me my second son, drug-free! I had stopped it all about a month before I got pregnant. But common sense once again took a back seat, and I relapsed into meth again and got pregnant. The fear of having a repeat of child number two came over me, and I had an abortion. Child number three gone.
I went off the drugs again, I tried to get a boy and a girl, and I felt I had killed that chance. But a strong belief in God and time gave me my girl."
