Quanah John Gray

Quanah was brilliantly intelligent and filled with energy. At the age of two, when most kids are just saying their first words, he could name every dinosaur. In elementary school he played chess once with a friend and went with a friend to the tournament and ended up winning. His creative mind was always working, and his interests were varied. He was an artist and a scientist, enthusiastic about games of all kinds, deeply connected to the planets and stars. Sweet and passionate, adventurous and fun-loving. In his later years Quanah struggled with addiction. He worked to free himself from these chains, but ultimately, they were too strong. His suffering is over now, and his soul is at rest. Quanah, like all the others suffering from this disease, was so much more than his addiction. Many knew Quanah only through the lens of the addiction he battled for so many years. That was not the real Quanah though, those fortunate to truly see him immediately recognized the light he had inside. He was loved by so many throughout his life. Addiction does not discriminate; it will take hold and destroy anyone in its path including the families and people who love them. Addiction hides in the faces of everyday people all around us. Quanah is not just another statistic or just "another one gone too soon", he was a great heart with a bright future and a gift that the world lost and can never be replaced. The best way to honor Quanah is for people who read this or knew him to think twice before judging an addict.