607 Healing Hearts

By Dean O’Gorman

What is 607 Healing Hearts? It is a group created out of necessity. This was a need for such a group to help with the understanding and loss that really only a parent can understand from the loss of their child. 607 Healing Hearts is an overdose grief support group for parents and guardians who have lost a child.

What led to

It was the early morning hours on March 23, 2017, that started this journey that I did not ask for or ever thought I would be on. I received a call that my son Spencer M. O’Gorman was in the emergency room. A call no parent ever wants to hear, I was not given much info at all when I said “I am on my way” in that short 5 minute drive I could not have, nor did I ever think I would see what I saw when I walked in the room my son was in. There is nothing that can prepare a parent for what I saw! There laying in a bed with tubes and lines in my baby boy. He was on life support. My heart sank. Fast forward a bit and I am told my son had cocaine and opioids in his urine. I just found out my son not only was on life support but learned that he was using drugs. There is no real way to express the feelings and the thoughts for all that I saw, heard, was told, and experienced in the hours after those moments.

On March 24, 2017 at 11:30am the doctor came in and said, “Spencer has gone without oxygen to his brain for too long, an anoxic injury, leaving him with major brain damage and zero percent chance of coming back.” Zero percent chance! Again, there is simply no way to describe the feelings at a moment like that. The law firm for pedestrian accidents came at the right time and with their expertise, all the issues started to become manageable. You can also check out traffic accident lawyer in case of personal injury cases.

But unexpectedly, on April 8, 2017 my son officially passed. I am pretty sure the Dean O’Gorman that I was on March 22, 2017 also died on April 8. The days that followed I posted about Spencer in an open and honest way. What this did, I could not have imagined. It brought so many messages my way, people thanking me for being so open, and shared their stories they have not talked to anyone about. There was one person that stuck out to me. They asked me if I knew of any groups for parents, they had been looking for a year.

What I found out is that there was not any type of support group for parents. I went to a group that had an addict that lost their friend, a girl that lost her boyfriend, a sister that lost her brother, and a girl with her grandmother that lost her mom. I clearly remember thinking at one point I needed to be in a parental role, this group was not going to help me or other parents to try and find a way to survive this nightmare journey we are now on.

So I ended up working with some really wonderful people, these people have helped to set up a group, where parents, step-parents, and guardians can go and talk openly, knowing they are not losing their mind. It is a place where we can be there for one another and help others who are on this journey. It is a group that can grow and adapt to the needs of each person there. It is a safe place to stop holding it all in, because nobody could ever really understand what we have had to do.

If you or someone you know is in this situation, 607 Healing Hearts is here for you, as well at this website www.recoverydelivered.com you can get online treatment. Individuals who are struggling with cocaine addiction may view this site to seek professional help.

Please, if this group sounds like what you were looking for, please join. Email at 607healinghearts@gmail.com for more info or simply to let us know you will be planning on joining us. This group is anonymous. Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 165 Main Street, Cortland from 6-8pm. The next meeting is on Monday, September 17.