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HERALD A holiday window decorating contest Page 4 VOL. 125 NO. 52
Getting to know Mazi Pilip
Concert celebrates veteransâ service Page 10
Page 8 DECEMBER 22 - 28, 2023
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Trapped in a Robitussin nightmare By LAURA LANE llane@liherald.com
Second of two parts.
Elisa Dragotto/Herald photos
âChristmas Magicâ comes to Mill Neck The enchanting Mill Neck Manor was dressed with holiday dĂŠcor during its Christmas Magic event on Dec. 1 and 2. This festive, family-friendly event took place inside of the historic Mill Neck Manor and featured baked goods from Mrs. Claus, holiday gift items and more. Santa Claus, above, welcomed many families to the Mill Neck Manor for the Christmas Magic event, including the Martin family; Eric, 5, Brittney, Allison, 2, and Kevin. Kids like Hudson Senior, 8, got the chance to make some holiday crafts to help bring holiday cheer, right.
Kevin OâNeill had successfully stopped his older brother Jack from buying cocaine from his dealer in the fall of 2020. But then Jack tried Percocet, and became addicted. The brothers were students at St. Johnâs University, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, they were home in East Norwich, learning virtually.
Jackâs journey to sobriety Without a dealer, Jack OâNeill was desperate to score more Percocet that fall, and drove across the island to buy it. âI went to one house and the guy said, âDude, what are you doing here?ââ Jack recalled. âHe was wearing a bandana, and I saw a shotgun there. I told him, âIâm sick, dude.â He said heâd give me something but to never come back.â Jack knew he needed help, he said, but sobriety would be painful. One night while driv-
Read the first part of this story online at tinyurl.com/ AWholeNewDay ing aimlessly around Long Island he called his mother, Ellen, and said he needed a vacation. She told him to come home. Jack swallowed a quarter of a Percocet before he walked into his house at 4 a.m. It would be the last one he took. âAt 11 a.m. my parents woke me up,â Jack recounted. âThey already had the car packed for a rehab center. They took my keys and told me I no longer had a car. In the car I was in so much pain I was thinking about jumping out. I had just turned 22.â His mother had arranged for Jack to undergo a detox at a center in York, Pennsylvania. When he got there, he lied, telling them he had been sober for five months. They ignored him, telling him to strip for a search that Jack said was humiliating. He detoxed there for 12 days. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3