Ask the "Why": A Tale of Two Sons

For this episode of The HeArt of Recovery, NCAAR Community Coordinator Tonia Ahern sits down with Patricia Roos, author of Surviving Alex: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss, and Addiction. Tonia and Pat, two mothers and advocates shaped by the loss of their sons, Alex and Rory, come together to explore the realities families face amid substance use, stigma, and a shifting policy landscape. From the struggle to understand “why” to the systemic failures and barriers within treatment and criminal justice systems, they reflect on the parallels in their sons’ stories, the weight of unresolved grief, and the urgent need for compassion‑centered care. Their conversation highlights the power of listening, storytelling, and advocacy as they speak about love, loss, and the hope that more empathetic systems can save lives. 

About the Author: Patricia Roos was a professor of sociology at Rutgers University when, in 2015, she lost her 25‑year‑old son, Alex, to a heroin overdose. In the wake of this devastating loss, she shifted her research and advocacy efforts to focus on substance use, grief, and systemic failures, transforming her pain into a powerful force for awareness and change.