From tragedy, A cause

Grandson's death due to drugs, alcohol spur woman to help many others

Dustin Babcock was an honor student and a star basketball player in Tulsa.

His future plans included graduating from high school, attending college and becoming a dentist.

All that changed when he became involved with drugs and alcohol.

According to a letter written by Dustin himself, “I have screwed up over and over.”

I started smoking and getting in with the “cool” crowd.

Dustin died Oct 1, 2005 at the age of 18.

Reports state Dustin was released from jail - on a drug charge - day before and while partying with friends, he drank alcohol and took drugs: a deadly combination. The autopsy report showed that “the cause of the death is the toxic effects of Tramadol. The manner of death is accidental.”

His family truly believes Dustin's death was an accident. Only days before his death, Dustin wrote a letter to his family asking for forgiveness. The copy of Dustin's handwritten letter is now a cherished token of what Dustin left behind.

His words "I feel horrible for the things I've done and wish I could erase them, but I can't. All I can do is try to fix and make better."

Only a few months after his death Dustin’s paternal grandparents, Nedra and Terry, created The Dustin Babcock Foundation in an effort to educate young people on the dangers of drugs and alcohol and to support parents in preventing children from getting involved in drugs and alcohol.

The Babcock’s have teamed up with the Ressa Foundation, a non-profit organization established by Tom Sears Jr., a retired executive from Phillips Petroleum. The Ressa Foundation “encourages and challenges young people to achieve their best” and Nedra Babcock felt the two foundations would complement and strengthen one another with each wanting to prevent additional tragedies of children overdosing on drugs and alcohol in Oklahoma.

Dustin Babcock came to live with his grandparents when he was only 6 years old. During that time, he attended Wright Elementary School and then transferred to Evangelistic Temple Christian School. As an eighth grader at ETS, Dustin began hanging around the “wrong crowd” in his neighborhood. His attitude and personality began to be adversely affected.

His grandparents decided it was best to change his environment and enroll him in another school. They preferred Victory Christian School but Dustin coaxed them into letting try the Tulsa Public School system again. Dustin had not attended long when he started skipping classes and resuming his old habits. The spiral led to a tragic ending.

The goal of the union of the Dustin Babcock Foundation and the RESSA Foundation is to turn a personal tragedy into something positive. Nedra Babcock is available to speak schools, shelters, youth groups or other organizations interested in learning an important life lesson. She emphasizes "mixing various drugs--weather alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs---can be a deadly combination."

The foundation will be awarding scholarships in the spring to deserving students who are interested in bettering themselves and furthering their education at a college or university, community college or trade school.

Criteria for the scholarships will be available on the foundation's web site. The scholarships will be awarded for the 2007-08 academic year.

The foundation is looking for other related stories and testimonials from from individuals who are recovering addicts. You can access information about the foundation, view the pictures and read the letters written by Dustin online.

Nedra Babcock is working to achieve greater public awareness of the problem and hopes to have the first Monday in May declared “Sober Day: A Day of Awareness” by the state of Oklahoma. She is organizing efforts to do so.

Those interested in having Babcock speak can call (918) 813-3322. Financial contributions can be mailed to: The Dustin Babcock/RESSA Foundation, 1629 S. Johnstone St., Bartlesville, OK 74033.

All donations are tax-deductible and will be used 100 percent for scholarships and school supplies for deserving children.