As heroin use increases and takes countless lives, few think they or a loved one will be affected by this ticket to death.

Sean Arnett, a 2010 Trinity High School graduate, was a pretty typical student. He was a member of the Senior Flag Corps and the cross country and track teams,  and was an Eagle Scout.

According to his sister, Celeste, Sean was a very caring person who would do anything for his friends.

Celeste said, “He was very laid-back, fun and carefree. Sean was the kind of person that would go out of his way and do anything for you. One time, his co-worker didn’t have a car seat in his car, and he had to pick up his children. Sean went and bought him a car seat and put it in his car for him, so that he wouldn’t lose custody of his kid.”

During his junior year at Trinity, Sean started experimenting with drugs, but to this day, his sister still questions why he began.

Celeste said, “It started with marijuana and then, as he got older, it spiraled out of control, and it eventually ended with heroin. You know, he wanted to seem cool, I guess, and in that way he started using drugs like his friends did.”

With the drugs, Sean’s behavior suddenly changed.

Celeste said, “He was less attentive with his school work; he was not home as much. A lot of times he would have parties or sneak out at night.”

Although Sean’s family noticed changes in Sean’s personality and behavior, they were unaware that they were signs of drug abuse.

Celeste said, “Sean wasn’t your typical addict. He wasn’t one who was always going and doing drugs. He was very good at hiding it, for a very long time, until it was too late.

As a result, Sean’s mother was initially unaware of his heroin use. She said, “I mean who does heroin?I asked him, do you have a problem, and he said ‘No, no, no.’ Listen, I really only like to drink, but I don’t drink and drive. He said, ‘You know I don’t have a problem.’”

Soon after, it became evident that Sean, in fact, did have a drug problem. His family checked him into several rehab centers to get him much-needed help.

The attempts at rehab did not work. Celeste said, “He wanted to try and change. We would go and get him help, but he would never stay with it. He probably thought that it’s like a person who is an alcoholic. They know that they need help, but they think that they can conquer it themselves.”

Unfortunately, Sean was unable to overcome his heroin addiction, and his life began to spiral out of control.

To support his addiction, Sean stole money from his parents’ bank account in June 2013. Before he left, he told Celeste, “I really love you. I really just want to try and do better.”

Sean also expressed his desire to overcome his addiction. “He wanted to straighten up his life and go to University of Kentucky and see if he could get involved in forestry. Sean always loved being outdoors and a part of nature,” Celeste said.

His addiction, however, prevented those dreams from becoming a reality.

The following day when Sean did not return home, his mother knew in her heart that something was terribly wrong. Her worst nightmare was confirmed when she received a call from the hospital telling her that Sean had overdosed on heroin and was on life support.

Sean passed away on June 3, 2013.

Sean’s death is a reminder that drug addiction can happen to anyone. To this day, his family still struggles with losing Sean. His father said, “We are still dealing with this.”

Mrs. Arnett said, “It kills the family. Your parents and your siblings and your friends, they never get over this.”

Having seen Sean’s suffering, Celeste strongly urges anyone to abstain from experimenting with drugs.

Celeste said, “Don’t do it. Absolutely don’t do it. It may seem like something your parents are just telling you not to do, like it’s not that big of a deal, but it starts with even just a cigarette, it starts with just pot, and it spirals out of control. Once you find that one high and it doesn’t work for you anymore, you are going to be seeking the next one and the next one and the next one until you’re dead.”

Following in the footsteps of other top Catholic high schools, Trinity began a random drug-testing policy at the start of the 2015-2016 school year. As a parent who lost her son due to addiction, Mrs. Arnett firmly stands behind Trinity’s decision to begin drug testing students.

Mrs. Arnett believes that if Sean’s drug abuse could have been detected earlier, her son’s outcome may have been drastically different. She encourages anyone suffering from addiction to find someone they can talk to and get the help they need.

For more information, view this April episode of TTV’s The Rock: