He had been a firemen, EMT/Paramedic, on the emergency medical management team, Red Cross, and was an active member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). He was the most giving an loving son any mother would be proud of. What Robby trusted and respected the most failed him and caused his death, his love for the medical profession.

For several months Robby had been having back problems. Early 2006 he was diagnosed with a degenerative disc. Of course, the ortho surgeon wanted to operate immediately but Robby was hesitant because he feared surgery would lead him to even more problems (which most back surgeries do). Since Robby chose to postpone any surgery the ortho doctor insisted that he go to pain management for any occurrence that may require his need for pain medication. March 2006 Robby had his first visit to a Pain Management Doctor on Hilton Head, SC. This doctor was an addicts dream come true, he started Robby on several different high end narcotics, such as, Demerol, Valium then to Duragesic patch and Percocet for break through pain. This was done in only 3 visits (1 per month). Robby never took these meds on a daily bases, only when he truly was in severe pain, they interfered with is daily activities. On his 4th visit to this doctor on June 9th he was prescribed Methadone 1-2 10mg tabs, every 8 hours, along with percocet 5mg 1-2 tabs every 4 hours for break through pain. Robby was uncertain of the Methadone so waited until 10 PM that night after he and a friend arrived in Charlotte, NC for a weekend trip. The only percocet Robby took was immediately after leaving the doctors office due to severe pain from an epidural he had just received. He took 1 Methadone at 10 PM on June 9th, took another at 8 AM on the 10th. He went to Carowinds theme park then after leaving the park he took 2 tabs at 6 PM. He then took 2 more at 2 AM as he and I were talking on the phone, he went to bed. He got up at 9:30 AM, told Joey (his friend) that he was not up to going back to the theme park and then took 2 more Methadone tabs at 10 AM and laid back down. At 12 noon the maid knocked on the door and woke Joey up. Joey woke Robby up to see if they were checking out. Robby responded to the questions in a droggy, sleepy state and went back to sleep. Joey didn't think there was a problem, he just assumed the pain med was making him so sleepy and thought he needed to rest. Joey left the room to pay for another nights stay. While he was out of the room the maid returned at 1 PM thinking they may have checked out but found Robby sleeping and snoring very loud. Joey returned shortly after and not wanting to turn on the TV (due to noise) decided to lay down himself. Shortly after he dozed off he was awakened by a strange noise that he now believes to be Robby's last breath. He went to check Robby and found a foaming/frothy substance coming out of his mouth and nose, Robby was not breathing. In a desperate frantic state he attempted to revive him until fire rescue and ems arrived. This situation was treated as two guys from out of town, in a motel with narcotics, one of them overdosed. They treated Joey like a criminal and made medical choices that were far from good medical ethics. Robby actual died about 2 pm on Sunday, June 11th. He was pronounced dead at the hospital after they did very little to attempt to revive him at approx. 3:15 PM I received a call from the attending doctor at 3:40 telling me my son was dead.

My world came to an end at that moment. Dr. David Brosman from Hilton Head, SC and Methadone killed my son. The only drug in Robby's toxicology report was the Methadone he had taken as prescribed and a minute amount of the percocet he had taken on that Friday. Robby had no history of alcohol, street drug or Rx abuse. It was Methadone and Methadone alone that killed him. So it does not take a combination of drugs as we are lead to believe. My life will never be the same. I was very close to Robby and the only thing that keeps me going are my other children and my anger and desire to make sure not one other person ever has to go through the horrible nightmare I am living. The only way I keep my sanity is my faith he is with me in spirit and I will be with him again someday when it is my turn to leave this world. Nancy Garvin