Lee Rosbach is honoring his late son and raising awareness for the ongoing opioid crisis.
The Below Deck Captain spoke to People, on Wednesday, to mark the year anniversary of his son Joshua’s death by an accidental opioid overdose,
Still grieving the death of his 42-year-old son, Rosbach said ‘There’s a hole there that will never be filled. The person that said time heals all wounds is full of s**t. It really doesn’t.’
Grieving: Below Deck’s Lee Rosbach spoke to People, on Wednesday, to mark the year anniversary of his son Joshua’s death by an accidental opioid overdose (pictured for season 6 in 2019)
‘I don’t really know how I’m feeling,’ the reality TV star said. ‘It’s difficult to put into words.’
Adding: ‘Because it’s such — we’re not wired to do this at all. It’s not something that’s supposed to happen to you. We’re wired in the opposite way. We’re supposed to die before our children do.’
On July 22, 2019, Josh died of an accidental overdose after battling addiction for 20 years, and now his father is working to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis as it continues to plague families across the country.
‘You might get better coping with it, but it never goes away,’ Rosbach said. ‘It’s never out of your mind. It’s always there. There are some 200 kids a day that die from this, and we just don’t do a damn thing about it.’
RIP: On July 22, 2019, Josh died of an accidental overdose after battling addiction for 20 years, and now his father is working to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis as it continues to plague families across the country
Loss: Still grieving the death of his 42-year-old son, Rosbach said ‘There’s a hole there that will never be filled. The person that said time heals all wounds is full of s**t. It really doesn’t’ (pictured in 2018)
Josh’s surviving family include his father, mother Mary Anne, four sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews are continuing to honor him and help others who are facing the same addiction battle.
Rocbach and his wife mange a scholarship in Josh’s name at the Awaken Recovery Center in Greenacres, Florida, providing free in-house treatment for as long as needed.
Speaking on the scholarship, Rosbach said that a generous donor reached out to donate the scholarship.
‘Somebody [at the rehab center] got in touch with me because they wanted to donate a scholarship in Josh’s name for a person that was deserving and in need of that,’ he said. ‘It was a full scholarship; everything was paid for and there was no timeline.’
Crisis: ‘You might get better coping with it, but it never goes away,’ Rosbach said. ‘It’s never out of your mind. It’s always there. There are some 200 kids a day that die from this, and we just don’t do a damn thing about it’ (Lee and Josh at an unknown date)
Love: The ship Captain, 70, also took to Instagram to honor his son on the anniversary of his death and thanked fans for ‘unconditional support’
Adding: ‘It was a nice way to honor Josh’s memory. Something good that happened for someone in Josh’s position. It felt good and still does.’
The ship Captain, 70, also took to Instagram to honor his son on the anniversary of his death and thanked fans for ‘unconditional support.’
‘The struggle continues, but we’re getting thru it,’ Alongside a photo of Josh he wrote. ‘Josh, we will always carry you in our hearts and will do so until our souls leave our bodies to join you. We love you son and are very proud of the kind and loving person you were. ‘
Surviving: Josh’s surviving family include his father, mother Mary Anne, four sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews are continuing to honor him and help others who are facing the same addiction battle (with Mary Anne in 2016)
New ring: In a separate post, he also revealed he and Mary Anne, removed the stone at the center of her wedding ring, replacing it with a heart filled with some of Josh’s ashes and reading his name across it
Of the support he said ‘it does not go unnoticed and touches me in the very depths of my soul. We are both very grateful for the random acts of love and kindness that continue to come our way.’
In a separate post, he also revealed he and Mary Anne, removed the stone at the center of her wedding ring, replacing it with a heart filled with some of Josh’s ashes and reading his name across it.
‘This way Mary Anne can keep a part of him with her always,’ he wrote.