Remembering Those We've LostRemembering Those We've Lost
I Love Being Sober
Tim Westbrook talks with Allison Merlo as she remembers her brother Mike, shares her journey through grief, and explains how a scholarship fund in his name is helping others seek recovery. The conversation reflects on family struggles, service through yoga in jails, and using a Grand Canyon challenge to raise support for people who lack resources for treatment.
19:25•11 Nov 2020
Remembering Mike: Turning Grief into Support for Recovery
Episode Overview
- Supporting someone in addiction can feel confusing and frightening, and it’s common to struggle with guilt and regret after a loss.
- Acts of service, such as volunteering or teaching, can be a powerful way to cope with grief and feel connected to a loved one who struggled.
- Following your heart, even when it feels scary, can lead to unexpected opportunities to help others and find purpose.
- Scholarship funds like the Camelback Recovery Mike Merlo Scholarship aim to provide treatment access for people who lack financial resources.
- Doing what you can with what you have, where you are, is a realistic approach for families who feel overwhelmed by a loved one’s addiction.
“When you follow your heart, something much bigger than yourself comes out of it.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This conversation from **I Love Being Sober** centres on grief, love, and turning heartbreak into help for others. You'll hear Tim Westbrook talk with guest Allison Merlo as she honours her brother Mike, who died from an overdose, and shares how his life and death pushed her towards meaningful action.
The episode starts with memories of Mike as "truly just the life of the party" – an entertainer who once performed at a school talent show in a bikini and blonde wig as Britney Spears. Allison paints a vivid picture of someone hilarious and vibrant, yet quietly suffering, reminding you how often addiction hides behind a big smile.
Things shift as she describes the first signs of trouble, including a teenage incident that ended with Mike getting his stomach pumped, and years of him being "in and out of the jail system".
Allison talks frankly about fear, guilt and not knowing how to help: "It was hard for me to know that my brother was in that situation and not know what to do and not even know how to communicate or contact him." Rather than staying paralysed, she used her skills as a yoga instructor to teach men and women in jail, many of them dealing with substance abuse, saying this was her way of "communicating to Mike through other people".
Her message is clear: "When you follow your heart, something much bigger than yourself comes out of it." The episode also introduces the Camelback Recovery Mike Merlo Scholarship, created to support people who need help but lack funds for care. Allison’s Grand Canyon rim-to-rim challenge is her fundraising tribute to Mike and a practical way to turn loss into support for others.
If you’ve lost someone to addiction, or you’re trying to support a loved one right now, this heartfelt conversation might give you comfort, ideas, and a reminder that small acts of service can truly matter. How might you follow your heart in supporting someone who’s struggling?
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