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Sunday, April 23, 2017

In Morgan’s memory: Friends, co-workers uniting in narcotics K-9 purchase

MILLSBORO – Spirit and memory of a young Salisbury woman whose life was lost to heroin overdose will live on in efforts to sniff out narcotics.

Friends, colleagues and co-workers from Intervet/Merck Animal Health in Millsboro are joining forces for a fundraiser supporting the purchase of the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force’s new K-9 officer.

The specially-trained narcotics K-9 officer’s name is Morgan, named in memory of 21-year-old Morgan Taylor, who died Jan. 13, 2017 from a heroin overdose.

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39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Exercise a total lack of self control and overdose on illegal drugs, and they name a drug sniffing dog in your "honor." Forgive me if you must, but WTH?

Anonymous said...

I am
So saddened by her death and for the loss of her family and friends but is that the message you want to send to kids? Yeah do drugs.. break your parents heart, destroy lives ..then die and no worries we will celebrate you and name a dog after you and post it in the media...you will be famous.
Message I send to my kid is.. you will be reaponsible for destroying lives including your own and thats what you will be remembered for.. I want to scare him not glorify all the life ending poor decisions he would have made if he did drugs

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty heartless and even I find your comment repulsive 2:13.

Anonymous said...

Yup i agree Whats next?

Anonymous said...

so if a k9 sniffed out drugs om her she would be alive in prison ? just asking.

Anonymous said...

2:13 I believe she represents an epidemic that is swallowing our youth whole. Her picture and memory remind us that no one is above or immune to the dangers of heroin or any such derivitive. And can we all assume it has not touched your life or people in any way? Lucky you!

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why these people choose to do
Heroin. It is a known fact that this drug is addictive. I don't have much sympathy for someone who choose to do heroin. This is a choice!

Anonymous said...

A waste of a life through a series of self-destructive actions. If she were my daughter, I'd rather she be remembered for better things and not be reminded of what took her life every time I saw or heard about this dog.

Anonymous said...

For the critics of the 2:13 post: Truth hurts, don't it? Every one of the words ring the truth of what she did. Go ahead and be judges of the content and intent, but it doesn't change the facts.

Anonymous said...

Well, obviously, you can't handle the truth.

Anonymous said...

Should have named the dog "DOPE" in her honor....ridiculous!!!

Anonymous said...

Not every addict is a drug user by choice. Accident victims, surgery recovery, wounded soldiers, cancer patients, and others are all exposed to opioids during their treatment and recovery. It doesn't take much to get addicted to the most powerful pain killer on earth.
The problem and the cause of the deaths we are hearing about now is twofold.
One is that the purity is not controlled at all, and two is the fake herion and other poisons that are used to "cut" the product and increase the profit to the seller.
Pull up itunes and listen to John Prine sing about Sam Stone.
May this girl rest in peace, and this dog save many lives.

Anonymous said...

I for one think that the family and friends wanted her death to be a reminder to others and if it prevents one overdose, another young persons passing then it is a blessing. God bless the family and our young people dying much too soon.

Anonymous said...

You're not heartless if you find that remark repulsive. You simply like to try to provoke arguments.

Anonymous said...

Life can be reduced to choices and outcomes (aka consequences). Your life's choices typically have a strong correlation to the outcomes. I'm sorry you bleeding heart snowflakes can't seem to accept that reality.

Anonymous said...

511 is absolutely spot on. A 21 year old who was raised correctly wouldn't even try Heroin regardless of circumstances. I've played in rock bands for years and never been tempted by hardcore drugs. People who cry for an overdose are really crying over their own complicity instead of realizing the girl made a choice on her own accord. Free will's a bitch but no one put a gun to her head and made her jack smack. Not buying it.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure the parents remember ever day what took their daughter's life. In my opinion a dog named Morgan may help others remember what caused the early and unnecessary death of Morgan Taylor. There is an epidemic, with drugs killing our young. Believe me your son or daughter could be next. Our children can make bad decisions just as we did in our younger days with alcohol. Heroin is much worse than whiskey/beer.

Anonymous said...

Sorry but I have more sympathy for the Firefighter who lost his life while fighting a fire in the line of duty. He wasn't chasing dragons. He was doing his job. More memorials would be better suited for his memory instead of someone who chose to be ignorant and got busted by the ultimate cop.

Anonymous said...

@5:16 how many times gave you driven home drunk as hell but by gods grace you never caused an accident doing harm to yourself or others. Free will is a bitch and people like you who mouth off about others shortcomings always end up in deep shit themselves

Anonymous said...

Never 522 because my parents raised me to know better. Always called a cab or got a car to drive me around on a night when I knew I'd be drinking. That's what smart people do. I've made my share of mistakes but doing drugs and drunk driving hell no. Seen too many people had their lives ruined by doing both. Quit displacing blame on others when the fact is she chose to jack the smack, no one else made that choice for her.

Anonymous said...

Got no problem with getting another dog for the K9 unit. They should have as many as the county can afford. But to memorialize someone who obviously made bad decisions is a bit off the deep end.

Anonymous said...

Sad, Makes me cry and police are doing the right thing and i love animals so its all good to me.

Shadow said...

Think for a moment- have you ever made a mistake- I'll answer for you- yes. Have you ever made a big mistake. The answer is yes- we all have. This is an unforgiving mistake that some of us don't understand until it is too late. Hang heroin dealers.

Sunshine said...

But HEY "she came from a good family" so she wasn't REALLY a drug user right?

Anonymous said...

Ann & Wayne Taylor LOVE YOU. You both always treated myself and my entire family with love and respect. When I lost my son to natural causes you showed us nothing but love and grace. You truly don't deserve the disrespect and ignorance that has become social media.

Anonymous said...

To the parents of this beautiful girl.....I get it.....I understand. I pray you find peace and ignore stupid people. Part of the reason why good families don't admit that their child died of drug overdose is the stigma created by the holier than thou idiots that believe all the stupid comments listed above. If this dog saves one life it will be in honor to the memory of your loved one and I will say thank you in advance. It is an epidemic and it is happening to all kinds of people for all kinds of reasons. God Bless!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I want a dog to be named after me too because I was stupid. Can I get a statue with me in a horse, too?

Anonymous said...

Sorry this isn't a mistake...just plain stupid....the warnings about drugs have been around as long as I have been alive 50+ years....if you choose to try them them karma is a bitch....this young girl knew what she was doing was wrong....sure the dealers are part blame....no question...but if common sense was used they would have no business.....

Anonymous said...

Do tou really think any of the addicts or sellers they arrest because of this dog will even give it a second thought of what the dogs name is and why it has that name.. ahhh no

Anonymous said...

She was Beautiful but to name a drug dog arter her is a stupid Snowflake liberal move.

Candice Schwemlein (on behalf of Morgan's Family) said...

"In her Honor" is in partially our family's legacy of Morgan's memory. We are HONORING Morgan's life and RECOGNIZING this horrible epidemic that brought her down. In doing so, we are hoping that her MEMORY, the memory of how she lived, loved and eventually died; and the memory of what her parents are going thru daily; promotes the FIGHT AGAINST HEROIN. Not as a disease, but as a new way of life that so many young people are getting wrapped up in everyday.

This epidemic is real and stand by; because it is going to hit every family in one way, shape or form in the United States. You think it isn't? Things are going to get much worse, before they get better. So this K9 is a memorial for all of those who knew and loved Morgan; but a prevention tool for those who are headed down her path. Maybe one day you will be THANKING K9 Morgan and her handler for finding what you as a family member were too blind/ or too naive to see.

Anonymous said...

Oh Candy, your excuses are just silliness. Epidemics are cheap cop outs. Its one of the reason loopy lefties spout it because it lets all the negligent parents off the proverbial hook. Nobody has any accountability including the person who shot up to the point they died from their just one more fix mentality.

Why didn't Morgan's family intervene when they saw their kid had a drug problem and please don't tell me they 'didn't see the signs.' Becoming a junkie is a very visible thing and it's not rocket science to detect. Also it's everywhere how addictive heroin is and people know its addictive from first shot. FIRST SHOT! If they were engaged in their kid's life, they would've seen signs that something was up and gotten to the bottom of it. Its like those two kids who shot up Columbine. Back in my day there's no way I'd be able to get away this kind of garbage because my parents were engaged. They didn't let my brother and I go unchecked even as young adults in college. They didn't hold our hands but they knew what we were up to even when we thought we had autonomy.

So Candy, save your Sally Struthers sad sack story. The bottom line is Morgan's family like many families in America ignored the signs that she was going down a bad road.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry for your loss. It's always healing to find a way to bring good things out of a senseless tragedy. With that said, when you make a choice, you choose the consequence. It was a choice to try it. It was a choice to not seek help when you couldn't function without your pills. It was a choice not to reach out to family and friends before it got out of control.

I think it would be more powerful to use the money to support a panel of parents and friends of those who have overdosed. Speak to the schools and rehab centers...AND MAKE IT HURT. Make it personal. Make it LOCAL people. Brutally describe what it's like to get HIV, Hepatitis, or MRSA from a dirty needle. Show footage of a Narcan dose that didn't work. Show the progression of mug shots for drug users. Teach parents, spouses and caregivers the warning signs. Give them a list of active help centers in our area and some guidance on what to do if they suspect. Pussyfooting around the real story is NOT getting through to these kids! And just abput every parent I know that has a child that uses is at a complete LOSS on who, what, where, when and how. So many desperate parents looking for help.

A K-9 is great, but being "scared straight" is better.

Anonymous said...

1127 are these parents really looking for help or excuses? Why not raise your kids from a very young age to understand the term: consequences? Why not stay engaged instead of being self-absorbed in your Kim Kardashian pursuits and be parents? I seldom ever hear of kids who aren't neglected by their parents going to the drug way and on the rare occasions when they do, they aren't coddled and given a star on their forehead for breathing. You want to give your kids love? The discipline them! Stop trying to be PC in your own homes and tell your kids the real deal starting from toddlers on. Letting kids have their way all time, buying them everything they desire without any effort on their part, raises them to be snowflakes. Quit raising snowflakes and start raising future leaders of America.

Candice Schwemlein said...

Only someone who has never experienced a child/family member hiding addiction would make a comment like this. OF COURSE her parents knew. And their love for her was strong and constant. But Morgan's love of heroin was stronger. Nothing Sally Struthers about it. No one ignored anything. Rehab wouldn't take her and she was a grown woman who made her own decisions. But we still loved her. And we will still fight for her; even though she didn't fight for herself. That's what family does. Hope it never hits yours.

Anonymous said...

Candy there you go again making some sweeping statement. I've been around plenty of druggies and they all came from two types of family situations: 1) either they were placated at every turn or 2) their parents didn't know what the hell was going on or 3) some combo of the two. Get off your high horse, Annie Oakley, there's accountability here for both Morgan and her family. Nobody should sit around crying boohoo in their chocolate Yahoos for Morgan and her family. There are things that could've been done but woulda, coulda, shoulda when someone is 6' under doesn't cut it. Sometimes tough love is needed. It's not like this is new news they've even had shows on TV showing people how to get 'help.' Name one? Intervention ran for several years. They gave people who had kids with substance problems all kinds of resources on their site should parents choose to use them. Choose being the operative word. So yes, there is a Sally Struthers sad sack story here because her parents didn't step in and take care of business. It's really that simple. Shit, Martin Sheen has kept that disaster of his alive for 40-oddsome years and you can't get more messed up than Charlie. So please spare us the soupy story of drama. Not buying it.

Anonymous said...

10:27 here. Yes. The parents I know ARE looking for help. We dealt with speed, pot and alcohol, not heroin! Most of them have children over or close to 18. Which means they are adults, but doesn't mean they turn their backs. I totally understand your point. But do you get mine? I'm not saying it's the school's job to parent. What I am saying is that there are many kids who would benefit from someone telling them the REAL truth. While no parent can be 100% sure their kid won't use, I'm reasonably certain mine won't. We have family members who treat addiction for the county. She hears the stories. I make her watch shows like Intervention. We talk about it when it's on the news or in her school. Addiction does not discriminate. Maybe a seminar like that...in high school...college...and in the community will make a difference. If it saves one, it's worth it. Or a scholarship for someone who is successful in the daily battle against addiction. It takes one who KNOWS the fight to teach about it.

A K-9 is a worthy way to honor Morgan. But it is ineffective unless the judicial system steps up to the plate.

Anonymous said...

For 5:20 PM the girl chose to risk her life as did the fireman who chose to risk his life. Firefighter friends of mine say firefighting is addictive. Nuff said!

Anonymous said...

She wasn't brought down be an epidemic...she was brought down by her own ignorance....choosing to do drugs or even try them is a foolish choice...no gun was held to her head....the information is long out there yet stupidity never fails....it's called grow up and take responsibility for your life....she choose to die...