As parents, Mary and Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld just wanted to protect their son, Jonathan. This was a job Sandy felt he should have been well equipped for as the United States’ number two ranking military officer. Yet, Jonathan’s struggles with anxiety led him to start drinking alcohol and misusing prescription medications as a teen. Sandy and Mary did everything they could to find appropriate help for their son's substance use. Still, just three days after they dropped him off at college, Jonathan died of an accidental overdose in his dorm room. 

In our 12th episode of Heart of the Matter with Elizabeth Vargas, Elizabeth reflects on her own experience growing up in a military family as she connects with the Winnefelds. Sandy and Mary also discuss the challenges they faced parenting a child struggling with his mental health, learning to live with grief and dedicating themselves to “saving a life every day” through their work with SAFE Project — the nonprofit they founded following their son’s death.

Related reading

After you listen, explore these resources from Partnership to End Addiction to learn more about the topics and themes discussed in this episode:

• How to Navigate the Addiction Treatment System
• Substance Use + Mental Health: Your Guide to Addressing Co-occurring Disorders
• Risks for Relapse, Overdose and What You Can Do

To learn more:
Partnership to End Addiction website
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