It troubles me to even have to blog about this.
You might remember Amanda Clayton, who was resident of my hometown here, Lincoln Park, Michigan. She won a million dollars from the Michigan Lottery, and thought she could still collect food stamps. She paid over $5000 in benefits back to the state of Michigan.
It saddens me to actually have to write this; but Amanda Clayton has died of an apparent drug overdose. The story via the local paper here in town, The News-Herald:
Amanda Clayton, the woman who garnered national attention earlier this year when it was revealed that she was still accepting food stamp benefits after winning the lottery, was found dead today in Ecorse of an apparent drug overdose, police have confirmed.
According to police, she was using prescription medication at a friend’s house on Sunnyside Street. Her friend found her dead at about 9 a.m. when they heard her toddler daughter crying. The child was reportedly in the bed with her when she passed.
I am not going to sit here and pretend to know a damned thing about this woman at all. What I am going to say is this: now a little toddler girl is now going to live without her Mother for the rest of her natural-born life. This woman became, unfortunately, a ‘talking-point” for the right-wing blogosphere; which did include me. I will not sit here and pretend to know what this woman’s politics really were. All I truly knew, was that she collected benefits, after winning money from the state. I also only know that she said that she did not know, that she could not do that.
I also will not lie to you; I am bit upset at this news. Here is why: This blogging stuff has always been fun for me, but, in a strange kind of way — distant from my home and my town. I always thought it to be a kick to criticize the Government and those in it, from the comfort of my basement and bedroom. Because of this, the stuff I write about is always —- distant —- and not really connected to anything local or personal. However, when it is this close, and when it is in my own damned backyard — in this close, it is very different and quite frankly, a bit discomforting and disconcerting. I guess what I am trying to say is that I shutter of the thought that something that I might have written on this blog, in the name of politics could have possibly driven this woman to take her life. I am praying that this is not the case, that it was a freak accident.
This serves to me and I hope it serves to be a reminder to everyone; blogger owners, readers and commenters: that those we write about, make sport of; whether for political reasons or what have you —- are real, honest to godness, people. People that have emotions, hearts and souls. Whatever this young lady’s issues were, they were not so bad that she should have been deprived of the right to enjoy her life to the fullest. This also should remind us to use great caution when writing about other people. Because sometimes, words can cause hurt and sometimes, that hurt cannot be managed.
I pray that the God of peace, that passes all understanding will be with the family of Amanda Clayton. May she find that peace in the arms of the Lord God in heaven.
Written with a truly broken heart this Saturday evening…..
-Charles Patrick Adkins
Owner
Thouightsandrantings.com
Lincoln Park, Michigan
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Update (October 8, 2012) — The following comment was left by Rachel, who lives at the house that Amanda was found in:
I would first like to say Amanda Clayton was my best friend everyone thinks u knew her but if u knew the really Amanda u would all love her. Amanda was the most caring kind full person i ever knew. September the 29th was the worse day of my life i found my best friend dead in my bedroom And let me clear something up with all of u NO her daughter was not in the bed when i found her. I saw some of the comments u sick ppl said about my friend when she was already gone god have mercy on your soul when it’s your judgement day… All i know is we are all trying to get threw this tragic so please leave her family alone God rest my Amanda soul R.I.P Amanda Clayton i love u always Girl I’ll see u on the other side Baby when it’s my time love always ur Girl Rachel
I have no way to independently verify if that is actually someone that knows her or not. However, based upon the IP address of the sender of that comment, it is from this area. Again, this was a heartbreaking story and one that I wished I did not have to cover. God be with the family of this young lady and her friends.
And yea I’am Rachel hill Amanda Clayton best friend I just wanted to let everyone know that Amanda was a great down to earth Girl she just got caught up with the pills And that’s what took her life. There not a day that don’t go by that i don’t cry i miss her very much not only was her And I best friends but her son And my son are best friends. So please all i ask is for u to please leave the Clayton family alone And move on. And like i said yesterday please ppl have heart And stop saying hurtful things God bless u all i just want to get her story out there she was not this bad person there are so many ppl out there that’s done way worser stuff And u don’t see them making headlines i thing the media played a big role in this just don’t judge a book by it’s cover…… Thank you i love u Amanda
I would first like to say Amanda Clayton was my best friend everyone thinks u knew her but if u knew the really Amanda u would all love her. Amanda was the most caring kind full person i ever knew. September the 29th was the worse day of my life i found my best friend dead in my bedroom And let me clear something up with all of u NO her daughter was not in the bed when i found her. I saw some of the comments u sick ppl said about my friend when she was already gone god have mercy on your soul when it’s your judgement day… All i know is we are all trying to get threw this tragic so please leave her family alone God rest my Amanda soul R.I.P Amanda Clayton i love u always Girl I’ll see u on the other side Baby when it’s my time love always ur Girl Rachel
OUR OPINION: It is indeed sad news and particularly more so when there is a toddler involved with the visual image now of the toddler found next to its dead mother. Most people are quick to judge others without knowing the full truth or details and did not know her or what she was dealing with … news media will always write about news in such a way to sensationalize and hit people’s sensitive ‘buttons’ in order to stir up headlines/controversy. None of us know what the details are regarding this young woman or even if she did overdose … it COULD HAVE BEEN A MURDER that was covered up after all she came into a very substantial amount of money recently with her lottery winnings. PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS CONSIDER THE SOURCE OF ALL INFORMATION and take what is in the news with a ‘grain of salt’ (as the saying goes). We are so quick to pass judgement on others, and perhaps ourselves, that too many people take pleasure out of ganging up on anyone who does not follow the norm in general … it could be this young woman would have made restitution on the money issues … she certainly does not deserve our wrath about it ~ who among us is perfect? who among us has not ever done something or misunderstood or feigned ‘ignorance of the law’ … people in glass houses should not throw stones! Perhaps a bit of tolerance, not to jump on others so quickly to condemn comes to mind here. If there is quilt you feel … ask the ones you talk about so fervently to forgive you. Hopefully what you wrote did not affect her in the manner in which you fear it did … we hope she was not murdered for her money. Too many people in our society are getting away with murder, literally, and stealing and all of the other crimes that are far more heinous. Look what the banks did to US citizens and their homes … millions and millions … and what has happened to them? How has it affected their lives? DESTROYED THEM and NOTHING was in the media to make the banks out to be crooks! What about Madoff? What about the millions from taxpayers paid by our own government to bail out the financial giants who robbed the American public? NOTHING was mentioned in the mass media to attack them! We pray she did not take her own life either as a result of what you had written … that would be a horrific burden on your heart and soul. The written word, especially in these ever-changing technologies, carries a tremendous impact on lives … Yet this young woman is written about all over the internet so disparangingly re:approx. $6,000 that she did not have a chance to pay back yet? What about the millions and millions of MediCal fraud by DOCTORS in the US! They get away with it and no one takes their names and plasters them all over the internet! It may make a huge difference if we attempt first to put ourselves in another person’s shoes, so to speak, and see how we would be affected by such verbose trashing and thrashing publicly of any error we would ever make or have made and have such harsh criticism of our persona, life and reputation smeared across the planet. Once things are out online ~ the damage is forever done. Those of us who claim to have faith need to act more like people of faith vs. people of condemnation … imagine how many ‘innocent’ people were stoned by mobs, lynched by mobs, tortured by mobs/klans and their lives and those of their family members forever sadly and traumatically altered by such hasty and hateful mentality. Let’s focus on building each other up instead of tearing each other down. Let’s have more faith and be more forgiving of others, give them a chance to make things right, and do the same for ourselves before de-humanizing and condeming this young woman. What she did does not deserve such horrific wrath!
We are very saddened by this news and our condolences go out to her family, friends and her little child she now will never see again.