Fenton Dad Trying to Pick up Pieces After Losing Daughter to Heroin

It might not ever be back to business as usual for Ron Schlosser, but he is certainly trying.

After losing his 19-year-old daughter, Erika, to a heroin overdose Feb. 16, 2011, Schlosser couldn’t complete a day of work at his construction business for months.

“A thought would come across my mind, and I couldn’t get rid of it,” he said. “It was dangerous. One time, I nearly cut my hand off. My brother stopped me, he said, ‘You were a half-inch from cutting off your entire hand. You’re not paying attention.’ ”

These days, Schlosser is working on building his business back up and has even started a new one, installing windows. He said he rarely breaks down in tears like he used to. He is planting trees that Erika picked out and is trying to move forward. He said he can laugh and joke about the good times he spent with his daughter. “Sorrows have changed to happy stories,” he said.

But it’s been a major struggle, he admitted.

Schlosser said he hasn’t had the courage to sell her car, which still sits in the driveway. He can’t listen to country music because it reminds him of Erika. He won’t look at pictures after 6 p.m. for the fear that he will dwell on bad memories at night, which he calls "kind of a phobia." For the first time in a while, he broke down while driving down the highway Wednesday and had to pull over because he couldn’t see with all the tears in his eyes.

“It still feels like a dream,” Schlosser said. “It doesn’t seem real. One day, I expect her to pop through the door and say, ‘I’ve been traveling the country. I’m home again.’ ”

Erika won’t be coming home, however.

On Feb. 16, from a heroin overdose and after a long, heartfelt conversation with her father, Erika told a friend she was using heroin for the last time. Schlosser found his daughter dead with her arm outstretched just a few hours later.

He had tried to help her to kick the habit; with rehab and detoxification as well as spending time with her watching movies and fishing to keep her mind off drugs, but he couldn’t stop it.

“These were beautiful girls,” Schlosser said, referring to his daughter and Jawhari. “They carried on a normal life. They just happened to have used heroin.

"They were loving, caring girls.”

Reaching out

Schlosser joined the Fenton Township drug prevention group and has participated in the shock and awe drug awareness presentation , but he has to persuade himself to go on stage each time.

“All the way up until about an hour before, I don’t want to do it,” Schlosser said. “Then I decide I want to go fight for Erika. When I get there, I get jacked, and I’m so happy I did it. It’s therapeutic for me.”

Because of the emotional drain, however, Schlosser has said more than once that he wouldn’t do it any more. He told organizers it was too hard on him and that one recent presentation was going to be his last. However, after the show, all the students came down to give him a hug. And he changed his tune.

Community Parent will hold a vigil for Erika Schlosser and Jawhari at 7 p.m. Wednesday at . Genesee County Undersheriff Chris Swanson will lead the service

“Erika was a fighter," Schlosser said. "She would appreciate the education for these kids.

"But how do you get over losing a kid?”

It’s a question that most likely doesn’t have an answer, so Schlosser said he will continue to try to pick up the pieces and move on the best he can.