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| Bryan "Maz" Maslinski 1987-2008 |
A local family has lost a son and a brother and for the third time in less than two years, the death of a young person in Stoddard County is due to the misuse of prescription drugs. Now, Bryan Maslinski's family wants to warn young people about the dangers of taking the route that last weekend cost their young son his life."
"If Bryan's death can save one life, then he will not have died in vain," said Bryan Maslinski's grieving mother, Karen Maslinski, on Monday.
Maslinski, or "Maz" as he was known to friends, turned 21 two months ago. He worked at a local restaurant and following nearly three straight weeks of work without a break, he was off last Thursday night and decided to celebrate by going to a Poplar Bluff night spot. Before taking part in the night scene there, however, he purchased a pair of fentanyl patches from a friend.
The patches are by prescription and are intended to ease the pain of patients suffering from illness or injury. They are available in varying degrees of micrograms, from 12.5 up to 100 micrograms per patch.
Fentanyl is a narcotic and a member of the same group of drugs to which opium and morphine belong and authorities say that drug abusers are increasingly turning toward this slow-release form of powerful painkiller for a quick, but dangerous "high."
It's not known if Bryan Maslinski had ever used a fentanyl patch prior to last Thursday night, but on that night, according to family members, he applied one patch and ingested the contents of another patch. It was a fatal mistake. He returned home in the early morning hours of Friday, made it into his parents' house and collapsed. On Saturday at a Cape hospital, his parents and sisters watched as Bryan's life ended at the age of 21.
The patches that contributed to the young man's death were purchased from a friend, and that friend now sits in the Stoddard County Jail on various drug charges, with possibly more pending related to his friend's death.
"Bryan's friend made a mistake and Bryan made a bigger one," said Karen Maslinski.
"Teenagers in Stoddard County," she continued in a direct plea to young people who experiment with drugs, "please wake up from the death of my son. One night of fun is not worth it."
Jamie Maslinski, Bryan's older sister, speaking for her family, added, "My brother wasn't thinking and a lot of these young people are selfish by doing what they do. Bryan has a mother and father, a brother and three sisters who will miss him for the rest of their lives and nieces who are too young to remember him."
Bryan Maslinski was the next-to-the-youngest of five children.
"People who do this," said his sister, "are not thinking of the family they could be leaving behind."
Maslinski family members believe that their son and brother was not a regular drug user and that his fatal intake of fentanyl was his first experience with the patch. They also hold no grievance toward the friend who sold him the patches, saying, "Our prayers are with the grieving parents of Bryan's friend at this time."
"We just want to get the word out," says Jamie Maslinski, "to young people to please stop this madness."
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Sorry for your loss. Maybe this very unfortunate event will open the eyes of others.
I am so sorry for your loss, Jennifer and Jamie I understand itis a great deal to go through. Karen Losing a child is a great deal to go through. I know I lost mine when he was 26 but I also know that God can give you peace throughout if you will just lean on Him. You all are in my prayers.
Carolyn
Bless the family of this young man for sharing such a tragic end to a short life. Perhaps from hearing of their heartbreak someone else will be spared. My heart aches for this family.
This is yet another good reason to stay away from drugs. Not good.
I am sorry for this families loss. I hope one day drug abuse will be a thing of the past.
Bryan was an awesome person, and will really be missed. My prayers are with his family.
Love ya MAZ!!! My prayers are out to the family.
I want to commend this family. Most people, in their deep time of loss, don't think to do things like this...to get the word out, or to use their tragedy as someone else's possible salvation. You are wonderful people! I hope God helps you through this horrible time in your lives.
MY prayers are with Maz's family FOR PEACE ,I miss my son as well and ask for prayers for him also.Iam heartbroken and my pain is intense and nothing seems to make it better so if the people writing on here could remember that these are real people who have real issues and loss and it is almost unbearable.There are always facts that the public does not see and pain that yall can not feel .Maz was a good hearted person who loved his friends and had a great smile .My son has a big heart also and also loved his friends.The problems in this community could start to be fixed if adults and children would all try to accept people for who they are and try to show some acceptance for uniquness instead of automatically labeling people bad. Love people for who they are and not nessacarily for what they do. Maz and Tyler were friends and they will both be missed a great deal .Maz would not want people bashing each other .Most teens just want to be accepted for who they are .We love you Maz and Tyler we are praying that you will not have to spend the rest of your life in prison ,two lives needlessly lost and will the community wake up and quit labeling people and just try to show a little love.True friends , ya'll need to watch out for each other because you can make a difference in your friends lives.If they are pushing the limits encourage them to stop .If they are trying to drive after drinking try to get the keys.You can not always make people not do things that they think they want to do but as a cool friend you can question the limits and encourage some bounderies. It would be nice to think that all drug and alcohol and mental and physical abuse would just stop but .... in reality we could help each other by saying enough is enough.Are you teens up to the challenge of looking out for each other ...and not the next chance to see if you can get higher than the last.