'My daughter died of an overdose, I lay with her until her last breath'

A mum whose daughter died of a cocaine overdose says she is channelling her grief into raising awareness about drug addiction in a bid to stop others suffering as she did. Melissa Ledesma's 20-year-old daughter Angel battled substance use for three years before dying of an overdose last June.

Melissa said: "I was a teenage mum, pregnant with my first daughter at age 17. Angel was my second born, followed by two sons. I once struggled myself with substance use, which began when I was 20 after my best friend was killed by a drunk driver.

"I battled a cocaine addiction for two years before becoming sober. Shortly after becoming sober, I met Angel's dad, who manufactured meth, and I started using it with him. Although I never used while pregnant, I didn't achieve sobriety until I was 25, a year before my fourth child.

"With or without drugs, our marriage was volatile and abusive, with numerous arrests for domestic violence against me and countless orders of protection. We divorced in 2011, remarried others, and eventually divorced again."

Melissa said that when Angel was little, they were exceptionally close. However, their relationship became strained when Angel grew older.

"Angel faced severe bullying and struggled with ADHD in her early school years. Until she was medicated in late second grade, she had difficulty retaining anything taught. We worked on her schoolwork every night until we were both exhausted and in tears. Despite the challenges, she always felt comfortable coming to me with her problems," Melissa said.

"When Angel started medication, and we moved to escape the bullying, she began to flourish. However, after I remarried, her behavioural issues re-emerged. By age 11, she faced severe mental health challenges, leading to multiple hospitalisations.

"As she grew older, she got involved in criminal activities, further straining our relationship." Melissa first discovered her daughter was using drugs when Angel was 17. Initially, she had no idea about the severity of her child's addiction.

"I wasn't naive about teens experimenting, so I suspected Angel was dabbling in something, but not to the extent it turned out to be. It was only when Angel was 18, and my oldest daughter warned me, saying I shouldn't give Angel money as I was funding her heroin habit, that I truly grasped the severity of what was going on," added Melissa.

"Angel's addiction was short, fast, and fierce. She always looked and acted the same until she suddenly didn't, and when she changed, it was drastic." Melissa tried everything to help her daughter.

At first, she believed in tough love, thinking that constant lectures and withholding money would prevent Angel from buying drugs. However, this approach only led to Angel running away from home. While living on the streets, Angel occasionally texted Melissa from unknown numbers, saying, "Mum, I'm okay, don't worry."

Then, all communication stopped, even on Mother's Day and Melissa's birthday. After months of no contact, Melissa eventually found Angel, who returned home and entered rehab, maintaining sobriety for eight months before she passed away.

"I was heading out after work on Friday, June 2, 2023. Before I left, I asked Angel if she'd be okay alone, and she assured me she'd be fine since her brother Aiden would be home soon. Angel left shortly before Aiden returned, taking only her phone and leaving her charger behind. When she didn't respond to my texts, I made a Facebook post, and she finally commented.

"But by Saturday, her phone died, and she was still gone. I hadn't heard from her by Monday morning," said Melissa. The family was unaware that someone had called for help from a hotel, reporting that a young woman had been found unresponsive in a bathroom.

On Monday afternoon, police arrived at the house, explaining they had received a call from hospital. "When I arrived at the hospital, Angel was on life support with no change since being brought in. Tests confirmed she was completely brain-dead.

"Everything happened so fast. We all said our goodbyes as a family, then separately. When my sister arrived, she and I went into the ward alone as they removed life support. I lay with Angel until she took her last breath.

"She struggled and shook for a little while. I just kept talking to her, and when I told her it was okay to go and promised I would be okay, she passed away," said Melissa.

While Angel's death has left a hole in Melissa's life, she has channelled her grief into advocacy. She recently transitioned from a 30-year career as a waitress to work as a Recovery Support Specialist and, utilising her TikTok platform, raises awareness around drug addiction.

In memory of her daughter, Melissa has also founded Angels Sober Shack, an online shop that sells clothing that promotes awareness of substance use disorder, harm reduction, mental health, and more.

It aims to support and educate others about the critical issues. "The goal of Angels Sober Shack is to eventually create a non-profit sober living house for women aged 18-27, accommodating two to four residents in a long-term programme of 12-18 months," explained Melissa.

"Angels Sober Shack will help fund this initiative and provide work for residents, helping them reintegrate into the workforce until they can secure employment in the community. This dream envisions a supportive environment where women can achieve lasting sobriety and independence."