Malia White’s Brother Dead From Accidental Fentanyl Overdose
Malia White, the former Below Deck Mediterranean bosun, shared that her brother Jayseph has died from an accidental drug overdose.
White posted to Instagram about her loss and what led to her brother’s death.
“To everyone who knew our brother Jay, it’s with a heavy heart we announce the sad news of his death. Thursday, October 5th Jayseph (34) passed away in the middle of the night after a battle with addiction. His death is a devastating loss for our family and his friends, but we are grateful for the time we had with him. Jay was happiest outdoors, especially with a fishing pole in his hand alongside a riverbank with his dog Aspen. To those who had the pleasure of knowing Jay, he was truly a kind soul, willing to help anyone at a moment’s notice. This is how we’ll always remember him.
We will share information about a celebration of life at a later date,” she wrote.
Malia White urges those to get help after the loss of her brother
White included a list of resources and shared, “If you are struggling with addiction, please know that you are not alone. There are many resources available to help you get the support you need. Please reach out to a friend, family member, or addiction treatment professional for help.”
She also posted on her Instagram story, “F*** Fentanyl. If you are struggling with addiction please know that you are not alone.”
In another story slide, she shared that her family had adopted Jay. “I don’t usually share personal things about my family but I hope being open about my brother’s struggle will help someone else out there,” she wrote. “We adopted Jay into our family at a young age and this is not the outcome in life that he deserved.”
She thanked fans and friends who have shared their stories of addiction along with another resource link.
Captain Lee from ‘Below Deck’ also lost his son due to an accidental overdose
Like Malia White’s brother, Captain Lee Rosbach from Below Deck lost his son to an accidental overdose. In July 2019, Rosbach found his son unresponsive at home.
“I knew something was drastically wrong at that point, so I rushed over to where he was sitting and put my hand on his shoulder to wake him up. But there would be no more wake ups for my Josh. No more wake ups for my beautiful brown eyed boy,” he recalled (via People). When I touched his shoulder, I felt no life. What I felt was cold and hard. My boy was gone. The man sitting peacefully on the couch was not my tall, handsome son anymore. Josh was gone.”
Rosbach has since gone to Congress to rally representatives to pass legislation to combat the growing number of deaths due to an accidental overdose, specifically fentanyl poisoning.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
