Bellmore family keeps son's memory alive after overdose

A Bellmore family who lost their son to a heroin overdose spoke with News 12 Long Island about how the drug epidemic can touch anyone's family. Valerie and Michael Labiak's son, Michael Jr., was a

News 12 Staff

Feb 19, 2016, 4:50 AM

Updated 3,132 days ago

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A Bellmore family who lost their son to a heroin overdose spoke with News 12 Long Island about how the drug epidemic can touch anyone's family.
Valerie and Michael Labiak's son, Michael Jr., was a three-sport athlete in high school and an honor society student. They say he started to smoke marijuana in college, got hooked on pain pills and then turned to heroin.
He was in and out of rehab multiple times, but then his parents say he started taking the treatment seriously.
"He did everything he could. He had a good sponsor. He went to meetings. He went to a psychiatrist," says Michael Labiak Sr.
Three days before Michael Jr. was scheduled to enter a long-term rehab program, he was found dead of a heroin overdose on the LIRR. He was 26 years old.
"It changes everything about your expectations for your life and your family and your children and your hopes and your dreams," says Valerie Labiak. "Everything is a reminder now of what we won't have with him."
Micahel's parents spoke during Thursday's Nassau County Educational Heroin Summit and Rally at the Coral House in Baldwin.