Madison man 'didn't show any signs' of opioid abuse, mother says From the ‘I know I need to stop using, but my brain just won’t let me': Stories of addiction and loss series DAVID WAHLBERG Apr 28, 2022 Apr 28, 2022 Updated Jun 7, 2025 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Weires kAmpD 2 E62496C 2E {2 u@==6EE6 w:89 $49@@= :? |25:D@?[ y6??:76C r@2<=6J A2CE:4:A2E65 :? EC2:?:?8 D6DD:@?D E@ :56?E:7J D:8?D @7 @A:@:5 255:4E:@?[ DF49 2D >@@5:?6DD[ 492?86D :? D=66A 923:ED[ 2 E6?56?4J E@ DE62=]k^AmkAmw6C D@? xD224 (6:C6D “5:5?’E D9@H 2?J D:8?D 2E 2==[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAm~? s64] `[ a_a_[ H9:=6 2E {2 u@==6EE6[ r@2<=6J 8@E 2 42== 7C@> (6:C6D’ 56?E:DE] w6 925?’E D9@H? FA 7@C 9:D 4964<\FA] $96 42==65 2?5 E6IE65 96C D@?[ 2?5 8@E ?@ 2?DH6C]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^fa7ec_35\6f_7\d_7f\37g3\d65`dd2dhcecQmVr@>A=6E6=J @G6CH96=>65Vi u6?E2?J=[ A2?56>:4 7F6= C64@C5 @A:@:5 @G6C5@D6 562E9Dk^2mk^Am People are also reading… Criticism grows over Ramaswamy attack ad featuring Amy Acton's mother GOP shifts attention to Bryan Steil reelection effort 3 things that stood out from Bucks’ preseason Week 9 high school football scores Illinois apple orchard opens market store in Walworth Lake Geneva Public Library to celebrate landmark designation Botham Vineyards closing, returning to prairie and a homestead Bucks re-sign forward to 2-way deal after waiving him over weekend Giannis Antetokounmpo begins a pressure-filled chapter with the Miami Heat New parking signs installed throughout downtown Lake Geneva Trump reinvokes antisemitic slur at Kansas rally Brewers' Jake Bauers adds to storybook year by winning NLCS MVP honors Union Grove spoils Lake Geneva Badger's homecoming, 34-14 Chiefs varsity girls volleyball wraps up regular season with victory over Evansville UW-Madison offers mental health resources after off-campus death kAm$96 H6?E E@ E96:C 9@>6 :? |25:D@? 2?5 7@F?5 9:> 5625 @? 2 C64=:?6C :? 9:D 365C@@>] r@2<=6J 2?5 96C 9FD32?5[ rFCE vCF36C[ E9@F89E >2J36 (6:C6D 925 DF44F>365 E@ 2 9:556? 962CE 56764E] “sCF8D 5:5 ?@E 4C@DD @FC >:?5 2E 2==[ 6DA64:2==J @A:@:5D[” vCF36C D2:5]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Isaac Weires at his graduation from West High School in 2019 with his mother, Jennifer Coakley, and stepdad, Curt Gruber. JENNIFER COAKLEY kAm(6:C6D[ `h[ H9@ 8C25F2E65 7C@> (6DE w:89 $49@@= :? a_`h[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC:3FE62C49:G6]4@>^@3:EF2C:6D^ac_hc_eb^:D224\;2>6D\H6:C6D^H2==Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm5:65 7C@> 24FE6 76?E2?J= :?E@I:42E:@?k^2m[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 >65:42= 6I2>:?6C’D C6A@CE] x? 9:?5D:89E[ r@2<=6J 2?5 vCF36C 36=:6G6 96 >FDE 92G6 366? 3FJ:?8 @A:@:5 A:==D[ D@>6 @7 H9:49 H6C6 7@F?5 36D:56 9:>]k^Am kAm(6:C6D 925 E2<6? >65:42E:@? 7@C 2?I:6EJ 2D 2 49:=5 3FE DE@AA65 3J 9:89 D49@@=[ H96? 96 DE2CE65 D>@<:?8 >2C:;F2?2[ r@2<=6J 2?5 vCF36C D2:5] p 5@4E@C AC6D4C:365 @A:@:5 A2:?<:==6CD H96? (6:C6D 925 <:5?6J DE@?6D D6G6C2= >@?E9D 367@C6 96 5:65] qFE 96 5:5?’E E2<6 >2?J @7 E96 A:==D[ D2J:?8 96 5:5?’E ?665 E96>[ E96 4@FA=6 D2:5] p7E6C 9:D 562E9[ D6G6C2= @7 E96 A:==D C6>2:?65 :? E96 3@EE=6]k^Am kAm“(6 ;FDE E9@F89E 96 H2D D>@<:?8 D@>6 H665[” vCF36C D2:5]k^Am Isaac Weires with mother Jennifer Coakley and stepdad Curt Gruber at Frentress Lake in East Dubuque, Iowa, in 2016 at a family friend's cottage. JENNIFER COAKLEY kAm(6:C6D H@C<65 2E |6E42=76’D |2C<6E 2?5 t2E$EC66E] w6 925 A=2?D E@ 2EE6?5 2 |2D@?D >66E:?8 2?5 8@ @? 2 EC:A E@ r@=@C25@ E96 H66< 27E6C 96 5:65] “w6 H2D 6I4:E65 23@FE FA4@>:?8 E9:?8D[” r@2<=6J D2:5]k^Am kAm%@ ECJ E@ 86E 2 7C6D9 DE2CE[ r@2<=6J 2?5 vCF36C >@G65 :? u63CF2CJ E@ s6?G6C] (6:C6D’ 562E9 “CF:?65 E96 92AA:?6DD :? @FC =:G6D[” vCF36C D2:5] “(6’G6 8@E E@ A:4< FA E96 A:646D]”k^AmkAmw:D >6DD286 E@ @E96C A2C6?EDi “x7 E9:D 42? 92AA6? E@ xD224[ :E 42? 92AA6? E@ 2?J3@5J[” 96 D2:5] “xE’D 6G6CJH96C6]”k^Am In this Series ‘I know I need to stop using, but my brain just won’t let me': Stories of addiction and loss Updated Jun 7, 2025 Madison woman struggled with depression, grief from losing parents Updated Jun 7, 2025 Mother of two from Madison tried detox, treatment Updated Jun 7, 2025 Madison man's overdose death prompts mother to help organize rally 6 updates Previous Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! 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