Heroin has developed a frightening grip on Long Island's youth in a way not seen for decades. In part one of News 12 Long Island's Heroin: Addicted on Long Island series, a Kings Park mother shares her son's story of addiction and how she is coping with his death.

Linda Ventura says her son, Thomas, was making plans for his future after returning home from rehab. However, the night after he returned home, Ventura says Thomas relapsed and died of a heroin overdose on March 14, 2012. He was 21 years old.

Ventura shared Thomas' thoughts and determination via passages from his journal. She also shared photos of her son growing up. She says he was a star athlete at Kings Park High School.

Ventura says the scary part of heroin addiction is that it knows no bounds.

"I don't miss Thomas the addict," she says. "I miss Thomas my son every second of every day."