Homer teen dies of over dose

I have always heard about Homer given most of my peep's are from that area. I have never understood small town politics, but I was very disappointed to see that the parents of a 19 year old girl felt that they had to defend their daughter from local ridicule after her death. I read what "mom" had to say about her little girl. She had been an apprentice for her father whom was an electrician that Nathan knew from Lands End last year. they where still there working this year. This story for many reason's touched my heart. This is from the Homer tribune.

Police suspect teen's death drug related
• Parents say Bethany Woodworth was more than just a statistic
By Layton EhmkeHomer TribuneBethany Faye Woodworth, 19, of Homer, was pronounced dead at Providence Hospital in Anchorage on Thursday morning, 24 hours after Homer police received an emergency call from one of her friends. The friend reported that Woodworth was unconscious and not breathing in a cabin at the base of the Homer Spit. Police report finding methamphetamines and cocaine on her person and suspect she may have died as the result of a drug overdose. However, Bethany’s parents know that drugs were not what their daughter was all about.Shane and Julie Woodworth want the community to know who their daughter was. According to Bethany’s father Shane, “she was a very loving and caring person, she had an awesome sense of humor and a big heart.” Shane, who works as an electrician, said Bethany was his apprentice for the past year.“She worked right by my side, and we had some of the greatest times together,” Shane said. “She was not some strung-out drug addict. She worked very hard, went to work every morning and never stole anything from us. Contractors were always telling me what a hard worker she was.” Through questions about the incident and investigation, the Woodworths know the threat of drug addiction is very real. “If you do this just one time, you can be addicted, and it can be stronger than willpower,” Julie Woodworth said. “We don’t want any other parent to go through this. As parents we have to be alert, as hard as it can be, and the kids have to understand how powerful this drug is. If anyone says it’s just recreational, they’re in denial.” “Bethany liked helping people. She wanted to be a psychologist to help kids. That’s all she talked about — going to help kids who lived through the hurricanes in Louisiana,” Shane said. Julie agreed. “But in the meantime, she couldn’t help herself,” she said. “Drugs were not my daughter. They were a dark component of her life, and she fought them. I don’t want her life to have been in vain.” “Bethany had this side of her and hung with the wrong crowd, but she was a very loving caring person, and funny, too. She had an awesome sense of humor and a big heart,” Shane and Julie both said. The Woodworths said Bethany battled her demons for quite a few years, fighting the drugs that poisoned her.“There is a rampant drug problem, and the kids don’t know how deadly this is. There’s nothing recreational about it,” Shane said. What may start out as a recreational thing can lead to heavier things, they said. Both parents want other parents to know that meth use can be difficult to detect, and that they should be aware of the warning signs.Julie said her final conversation with her daughter was a positive one. “She called at 11:30, saying ‘Mom, you’ll be so proud of me’,” as she told her about her day of running errands around town. “Make sure Dad calls me before he picks me up for work,” Bethany told her mother. “She sounded good,” Julie said. “But for whatever reason, she took something … we know our baby is in a good place and she’ll be with us forever.”Shane and Julie Woodworth described their daughter as magnetic and caring. “There were few people my daughter met that did not love being around her. Her smile brightened the room,” Shane said. Upon finding Bethany, EMS personnel attempted to revive her and then transported her to Anchorage via LifeFlight helicopter. Homer police say that witnesses told them Woodworth was last seen late the night before, and appeared to be under the influence of some kind of intoxicating substance. State Medical Examiner Dr. Franc Falico said he suspects the death was accidental, and a result of the adverse affects of drug use. A toxicology analysis has not yet produced results. Several students who attended their first two years of high school agreed that they remembered Woodworth as a nice person. Former classmate Tommy Bowden remembered her from his early high school years. “She was a good girl, and she tried in school — but like everyone, she had to deal with the typical teenage stuff,” Bowden said. Woodworth attended Homer High through her sophomore year in 2003.As they embrace her memory, the Woodworths extend thanks to the community for the support.A memorial account for the Bethany Woodworth Memorial Fund has been set up a Wells Fargo Bank, account number 6834466309. Bethany’s mother Julie has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations should be sent to South Peninsula Foundation or Hospice of Homer. Send cards to Julie and Shane Woodworth at P.O. Box 1012, Homer, Alaska, 99603. “She was the light of our life,” Julie said. “The good outweighed the bad — and we wouldn’t have traded our girl for anyone.”