Sisters resident launches nonprofit to fight 'code of silence'

Sisters resident Penny Whipps has launched a nonprofit company called Just One Time (Just1x).

Whipps' son Kyle died on September 6, 2008 of an accidental heroin overdose. That was the catalyst that eventually drew Whipps into the current of Just1x.

According to the Just1x Web site, "Just1x is an organization whose mission is to motivate students to stop living dangerously in a world that accepts substance abuse and self-destructive behavior and to challenge peers to break the code of silence and seek help for their friends."

The critical message is that even very casual drug use "just one time" can have life-shattering consequences.

While away in Portland for the weekend with friends for a series of concerts, Kyle engaged in drug use. Not the stereotypical drug-user living dangerously, Kyle was not intending to find the waters of death lapping over his head. He had no plans to die. He had everything to live for.

The drug use was not a part of the group's activities.

A good friend of Kyle's noticed his behavior was off, didn't want to upset the weekend by digging deeper with him and thought they might have an opportunity when morning came around to discuss it. When the first rays of light stretched out over Portland, Kyle was dead, and his friend now said, "I'll regret that decision for the rest of my life."

"This idea of talking to students about what it means to be a real friend, even when your friend is messing up, is Kyle's legacy," said Whipps. "We already have plenty of drug prevention programs. That's not what Just1x is about. One of the strongest weapons in the struggle against students living dangerously is other students. Our message is for the students who are keeping their friend's dangerous living a secret. We challenge those students to love their friends with a protective love that said, 'I am going to risk you being upset with me in order to get you help. Your life is worth that much to me.'"

Sisters High School Principal Bob Macauley said, "Ms. Whipps message is more than a warning to a casual or first-time user; it is a call for students to be their brother's keeper and to break the 'code of silence' in love..."

The significance of Whipps' message transcends age, culture, and time itself. Living dangerously could mean a number of things...texting while driving, unprotected sex, not using a seatbelt, anything that could bring death.

Just1x has six board members who have joined Whipps and are dedicated to getting their message out.

Just1x chairman Torrey Sharp recalls Kyle's death:

"For me this is highly personal, Kyle was my cousin. He was very involved with me and my family. I remember working with Kyle on his SATs and college admissions, being a part of his life and knowing he had a future.

"When you love someone it's an abrupt halt to all of it when they die. Through the after-effects and devastation of his death I know I want to be a part of something bigger. It's an incredible opportunity to influence the course of someone's life. It's always tough to speak up, you put a lot on the line when you do. The moments that are lived dangerously will pass, but the person living dangerously may not live through them to experience the rest of their life. I can reflect back on my life and see that all it takes is one choice to alter your life or someone else's. I want to be a part of helping others consider what is at stake."

"Kyle was a little bit mischievous, with a whole lot of adoration. His smile would melt my heart," said Just1x board member Laurie Francis. Reflecting back on her own high school experiences Francis said, "...as a 'people pleaser' I was always afraid to have a friend get mad at me, so I kept my mouth shut. Looking back I am saddened by this, because I wasn't being a friend at all... I have a lot of friends who never made it to their 10-year high school reunion because of bad choices. I believe being an authentic friend is about being honest and being there for one another."

Cassidy Hornbeck, who knew Kyle and has had to face the effects of dangerous living in her own family said, "We're not cool with that (keeping quiet) anymore."

Whipps and 11 other members of Kyle's family will be running in this year's Hood-to-Coast race on August 27-28 in honor of him.

Whipps spoke five times in student assemblies the week after Kyle's death. The response from the students was overwhelming. With the same tenacity that her son Kyle showed when he swam on the Sisters High School Swim Team she shows her fortitude every time she stands before her audience and the 9-1-1 call plays.

"I'm willing to minimize my comfort so that another family doesn't go through what my family and I have," she said.

Just1x is looking for people and organizations that would like to invest in a worthy cause. Their goal is to take Just1x to as many schools across the nation as will open their doors to them. To donate, send a check to PO Box 3500-180, Sisters, OR 97759. For more information visit http://www.just1x.com.