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(WJBK) - It was 5:50 p.m. Christmas Eve when Tim got the call.
On the other line was a detective with Eastlake police with the news no father wants to hear.
"I immediately fell to my knees in the snow and began to cry like a baby."
Tim Sherman of Ohio had learned his 23-year-old daughter Karisten was found dead in her home from heroin overdose. He took to Facebook to tell his story - a story that's been shared more than 14,000 times since Tuesday.
"I thought the love she had for me would keep her from going back to that drug ever again," he said.
Tim said his daughter had been clean for over a year - he took her to her first Narcan meeting, her first AA meeting, and discussed the pros and cons of group therapy. He said she told him she met good people she could relate to and the meetings were helping.
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"I told her at the Narcan meeting 'if you can't kick the dragon for good I will be the one to zip you up, but I will be with you every step of the way when you need me.' I don't know why she didn't call me like she promised. It hurts so bad that she didn't call."
But it wasn't enough. And on Christmas Eve, Tim rushed to his find his daughter lifeless in her bed. Warning: the following may be considered graphic.
"She had hit such an lethal dose that when she went into a hemorrhaging arrest that she sat up from her pillows she was propped on in her bed, had her arms straight out with a slight bend at the elbow, fists clenched, with her thumbs tucked under her fingers grasping so tight at what looked like she was trying to grab life back in her. She was all blue faced,veins out, had a little blood from her nose and her teeth were so tight together that her mouth wouldn't open," Tim said.
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The father said he was told he couldn't touch her because there may be lethal powder still on her, so he asked for gloves.
"I’ll be damned if I’m not going to help my daughter one last time or hug her and let her know I love her. ... I kept my word and spread the bag out and carefully placed her in it to say goodbye to her so they can find out what it was that she took. I zipped her up in her body bag and helped them carefully place her on the cot," he said.
Tim wrote that no matter who you are, heroin can destroy your life. He asked that any family suffering reach out, and he hopes by sharing his heartbreaking story, there's a chance for others to find help before it's too late.
"Please, please, please, wrap your arms around your loved ones and let them know how much you care and love them, because tomorrow is never guaranteed."