LETTER TO THE EDITOR: My Nephew Was Going to Die

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April 8, 2024

"He was given a choice – jail or go into a Christian Rehab Center. He chose..."

This letter is from Burien-News reader Cynthia Powell, in response to the death of the homeless man who died of an overdose on Friday, March 29, 2024.[NOTE FROM EDITOR: Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Burien-News or Daniel Media. If you wish to submit a story, photo, article or letter, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.]My nephew was caught up in the drug life and each day we worried that we would receive a call - that he was gone. Fortunately, while in Idaho he was pulled over (do not know the infraction for the pull over) and arrested because of the smell of Marijuana when the police officer approached the car.This literally saved his life.He was given a choice –jail or go into a Christian Rehab Center. He chose the latter. After a year and half, he is a different person. Completely. He knows that being arrested was the game changer in his life.[Regarding the 3/29/24 death] This young man died in a tent on the side of a road in a city where hundreds drive by daily. A young man who will never see the potential he could have possessed because of the relentless hold of drugs over his life.I wish that he had been arrested and given a choice – Jail or Rehab. Maybe, just maybe, he would have been at the crossroads in life where he was ready to jump in and get the help he needed but not capable of doing on his own. But he will never be given that opportunity.The homeless crisis is a mess and yet we keep voting for the same people – to make decisions that affect us all… that causes a young man to die in a tent on the side of the road.-Cynthia Powell, verified Burien Resident[NOTE FROM EDITOR: If you wish to submit a story, photo, article or letter, please contact us. Even if you wish to remain anonymous, please include your name and phone number so we may contact you privately. We look forward to hearing from you.]

March 29th Burien death reported by Jonathan Choe on X:

It went from bad to worse in Burien. Friday morning, authorities say a young man died of a drug overdose and at the very same encampment, an accidental fire destroyed a tent.Once again, King County Executive Dow Constantine is being blamed. Constantine refuses to allow… pic.twitter.com/n0Gyx0lR2w