Devastated parents reveal harrowing real-life stories behind Netflix hit Painkiller – breaking down in tears as they recount how their kids DIED from OxyContin addiction

• Loved ones of the victims who died from the opioid crisis shared their stories
• Their testimonials were aired in Netflix’s new limited drama series Painkillers 
• One mom details how her son, 32, died after getting hooked on OxyContin at 15

These are the heartbreaking faces of the real life stories behind the US’s crippling opioid crisis.

Brave loved ones of the late victims who became addicted to or took OxyContin, the drug sold by Purdue Pharma, have given harrowing testimonials at the start of each episode of Netflix’s new drama series Painkiller.

The six-episode limited series tells a fictionalized version of the opioid crisis and the Sackler family who owned Purdue Pharma.

However it is based on true events, drawing from Barry Meier’s book Pain Killer and Patrick Radden Keefe’s New Yorker piece, The Family That Built An Empire Of Pain.

The Netflix series is now streaming, and stars Matthew Broderick, Uzo Aduba, Taylor Kitsch and West Duchovny

The makers of Painkiller turned the standard legal disclaimer viewers normally see at the start of TV shows on its head by having relatives of those who lost their lives to the drug to share their stories so it didn’t feel like they were letting Big Pharma executives ‘off the hook’ by having the usual caveat.

‘At the beginning of any television show, particularly one that has elements of nonfiction, when you’re chronicling someone about whom you can’t know everything, you can’t know what they said in private, certainly not what’s in their head, you’re bound legally to do some type of disclaimer, and we really struggled with that,’ executive producer Eric Newman told Newsweek previously.

‘[Director] Pete Berg and I particularly had a lot of conversations with Netflix about how do we get around this. Because what we’re doing here is basically letting them off the hook right off the bat.’

Christopher, 32, died ‘alone’ after getting hooked on OxyContin at just 15 

One of the people who delivered their powerful testimonials during Painkiller was Jennifer Trejo-Adams. Her son, Christopher, died aged 32 after getting hooked on OxyContin when he was just 15.

In the Netflix show, she appears in episode one wearing a T-shirt with her son’s name emblazoned on it.

Jennifer begins: ‘This program is based on real events. However, certain characters, names, incidents, locations and dialogue have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.’

She takes an emotional pause and draws in a deep breath before muttering: ‘Sorry.’

The mother then continues with her voice breaking at the end: ‘What wasn’t fictionalized is that my son, at the age of 15, was prescribed OxyContin. He lived in years and years of addiction. And at the age of 32, he died all alone in the freezing cold in a gas station parking lot. And we miss him.’

During the segment she holds up a photo of a young Christopher posing with a baseball bat. 

Loved ones of opioid crisis victims have shared their harrowing real life stories, one of them was Jennifer Trejo-Adams. Her son, Christopher, died aged 32 after getting hooked on OxyContin when he was just 15

Jennifer appeared on Netflix’s new drama series Painkiller as part of a twist on the standard legal disclaimer viewers normally see at the start of TV shows

Cassy Chism became addicted to opioids before she passed away aged 42 after years of ongoing health issues 

In the second episode, Cassy Chism’s mother shares her late daughter’s story, revealing she died aged 42 after ‘becoming addicted to OxyContin.’ 

‘She was the spark for all of us in our family. And now all we have are pictures and memories of her. It’s just hard. It’s really hard,’ she shared, wearing a pin with Cassy’s face on it and holding up a photo of her daughter.

Cassy’s sister Monique Gipson wrote on All Our Heart the 42-year-old ‘became addicted to opioids after major surgery in 2007 for an ulcer that burst.’

Another victim featured was Cassy Chism who died aged 42 after battling an addiction to OxyContin

Her mother wore a pin with Cassy’s face on it and held up a photo during her testimonial

‘She was the spark for all of us in our family. And now all we have are pictures and memories of her. It’s just hard,’ Cassy’s mother said

‘She was placed in a medically induced coma for eight days and was in the hospital for over a month. She had ongoing health issues as a result of the surgery for years and was in and out of the hospital,’ she said.

Monique also revealed that Cassy had a love of acting and scored her first role on The Wonder Years as an extra. Before leaving Hollywood, she was in the film Blow, and picked up work on music videos and other movies.

She was a big fan of Marilyn Monroe and Tupac as well as being an animal lover.

‘She loved that Marilyn was authentically herself and went after what she wanted. Cassy cared deeply about the social issues affecting the world and loved Tupac because he confronted social injustice. Cassy supported People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals because of her compassion for animals,’ Monique added. 

It took only one pill of OxyContin to take 24-year-old Patrick’s life 

Meanwhile the mother of 24-year-old Patrick, who died after taking a single pill of the painkiller, appears in episode three.

‘I will tell you that time does not heal all wounds. Grief is not a process, it’s a lifelong weight on our heart and on our soul,’ she adds.

During her testimonial, the mother remains stoic while clutching a photo of herself and baby Patrick. 

The mother (pictured left) of 24-year-old Patrick, who died after taking a single pill of the painkiller, appears in episode three. She shared a photo of her and her son as a baby (right)

Elizabeth leaves behind her devastated mother after her death from addiction 

Another victim of the opioid crisis was Elizabeth, whose mother appears in episode four and shares her daughter died due to her opioid addiction.

‘She was full of life and love, and I miss her. I miss everything about her,’ the heartbroken mother says.

‘Every day I wake up and I make sure I look at her because I never want to go a day without remembering the joy that she brought me.’

At the beginning of the episode, the mom holds up a framed image of herself with her daughter. 

Another victim of the opioid crisis was Elizabeth, whose mother appears in episode four and shares her daughter died due to her opioid addiction

The mom said: ‘She was full of life and love, and I miss her. I miss everything about her’

Matthew Stavron died at 24 after battling addiction from aged 13

Another man who died from his addiction to OxyContin was Matthew Stavron.

His mother, Kelle, appears in episode five.

Matthew died at the age of 24 after getting hooked on opioids at 13 following a series of motocross injuries that left him in pain, according to the San Clemente Times.

Matthew Stavron died aged 24 after getting hooked on opioids at 13 following a series of motocross injuries. His mother, Kelle, appeared in the Netflix series

‘He was addicted to OxyContin and he’s no longer here with us,’ Kelle says. Pictured is Matthew

He had tried many times to quash his addiction, doing a number of stints in rehab.

‘He was addicted to OxyContin and he’s no longer here with us,’ Kelle says in the Netflix show.

‘I miss him. He was beautiful, I loved him. I miss his charming smile and I miss those “I love you, Mama” and those hugs.’

Riley Ward was 28 years old when he died after he became addicted to Oxycontin following a back injury

In episode six, viewers meet heartbroken Kim and Rodger Ward who lost their son Riley when he was 28.

A clearly emotional Rodger struggles to detail their story and chokes up while holding up Riley’s photo.

‘He became addicted to OxyContin from a back injury. He tried his hardest to get right and get straight again and get sober, and he just couldn’t do it,’ Rodger says.

Another harrowing account comes from Kim and Rodger Ward (pictured) who lost their son, Riley

Riley (pictured) ‘became addicted to OxyContin from a back injury. He tried his hardest to get right and get straight again and get sober, and he just couldn’t do it,’ Rodger says

The couple were clearly emotional while they told their story, with Rodger unable to hold back tears

‘He was a wonderful kid, he had the biggest heart you ever saw, and our lives will never be the same. I can’t.’

As he begins to tear up, his wife, Kim, who is also struggling to keep it together, leans over and rubs his shoulder in comfort.

The Netflix series is now streaming, and stars Matthew Broderick, Uzo Aduba, Taylor Kitsch and West Duchovny.

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