Two years after death of Savage brothers, grief turns to lesson

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GRANGER, Ind.-- It's been nearly two years, to the day, since a pair of Granger brothers overdosed on oxycodone and alcohol after a party.

The Savage family and the community are still working through their grief, but are trying to turn their tragedy into a lesson for others. 

"I think they would be really proud of the efforts that w'ere putting into making a difference, and their friends and family," says Becky Savage, the boys' mother.

She knows her two late sons, Nick and Jack, would have loved what the family is doing: raising money for awareness for a cause near and dear to their hearts.

"The dangers of prescription drug abuse and misuse," explains Savage. 

The Second Annual 525 Foundation Golf Outing was a chance to do just that.

Money raised from this event, and other fundraisers the foundation holds during the year, is used for Savage to travel to different schools, educating and preventing.

"Becky has spoken to nearly 14,000 students. And by this time next year, the net will also be cast from Cleveland, to Indianapolis, Chicago and Valparaiso," says Jeff Breiler, the boys' uncle and a committee organizer. 

He says he has one purpose.

"Preventing future tragedies in the name of Nick and Jack," explains Breiler. "No family, no community is immune to this problem. If we can effect and prevent one tragedy like this...it's gut-wrenching, it's awful. And it's preventable."

It's a purpose that has driven Savage to take her grief and do something with it.

"It's still hard to live our lives without Nick and Jack. But if I sat around and just felt sorry for myself, that really wouldn't accomplish anything," she says. "I try to put that energy into doing something positive for the community and turning it around."

A community that came out to support: spending the day to remember the ones they've lost. 

And with Nick and Jack's hockey jerseys fluttering in the wind at two newly rededicated hole numbers, it wasn't a day of mourning.

"Maybe a few tears will be shed, but there's a lot of great friends, a lot of relatives. We're remembering Nick and Jack," explains Breiler.

"The support has been so overwhelming it just makes us feel like we are making a difference and that we can make a difference," adds Savage. 

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