A new fund created at the Scott County Community Foundation will bring awareness to overdose and addiction challenges to those in our community. The Kameron Draper Memorial Foundation was established by his family in the hopes that it will assist others in the early stages of their recovery.
Rodney “Kameron” Draper was the first child and only son born to Bart Draper and Laura (Draper) Deaton, on April 14, 1993, in Orlando, Fla.
“From the very beginning, Kameron was full of energy,” shared his mom, Laura. “He loved to do all things active! Kameron had a love for sports at an early age. He loved Barney, and he loved to read books.” At the age of two, Kameron became an older brother to his sister, Kayleigh.
“Kameron was full of life, laughter, and so much love for his family. But, if things became dull, he had a mischievous side to add some life to any situation,” remembered Laura.
Kameron loved school. He attended Palm Lake Elementary School, where he excelled. Kameron had many friends and loved soccer on the playground. Kam was no stranger to the “time-out” table.
“One of the favorite notes he wrote me about his day was, ‘Dear Mom, I am not a rooster, I am Kameron. I will not cock-a-doodle-doo in the cafeteria and have lunchroom manners. I love you! Love, Kameron,’” shared Laura. “That was Kameron, bringing life and laughter to any activity he might see as being a little mundane.”
When Kameron was five, he became big brother again to Caroline. His heart grew with so much love and protection for the girls.
Soon after Caroline was born the family returned to Indiana. Kameron enrolled in Austin Elementary School in third grade. He made friends quickly and again excelled in his schoolwork. His love for basketball began on the playground. Kameron loved all sports. While attending Austin, Kameron played basketball, ran track, cross country, and played tennis. All the while becoming an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society.
It was during the end of his days in high school, Kameron began his experimentation with marijuana, which led to experimenting with pain pills.
Kameron graduated from Austin High School in 2012. After graduation Kameron enlisted with the National Guard. Kameron attended basic training at Fort Sills in Oklahoma. He graduated at the top his class as private first class. He attended Advanced Individual Training in Oklahoma as well. Upon graduation, Kameron attended Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Bowling Green, Ky.
Kameron attended three semesters at WKU. While in attendance, Kameron’s curiosity with pain pills again began. He soon was no longer able to attend WKU due to poor academic performance. Kameron soon would be discharged from his commitment to the National Guard. The dreams of majoring in psychology and assisting people struggling with mental health and substance use soon became a dream of the past for Kameron. His curiosity took on a whole new name, addiction.
Addiction took hold of Kameron quickly. He lost everything. He was a shell of the sweet, smart, fun-loving young boy he once was, shared his mom. Pain pills quickly turned to heroin. Heroin was easily accessible and cheaper. Pills during this time became hard to come by and were expensive. Kameron was soon homeless, living in his car, and at the mercy of his addiction. He spent a brief time incarcerated. He would work on and off, just long enough to get a paycheck.
In 2016 Kameron reached out, saying he’d had enough. He attended Appalachian Teen Challenge (ATC) in West Virginia. Kam spent nearly one year in West Virginia and excelled in the program. Kameron developed a relationship with Jesus Christ and came to know Him. Kameron studied the Word of God while at ATC and strived to share the Word and the power of God helping him through his darkness. Kameron shared his story at many Rotary Clubs and spoke often for fundraisers for ATC. Kameron applied to Johnson Bible College in Tennessee to continue his education and put himself back on track for the major in psychology and biblical studies. Due to Kameron’s final semester at WKU and his poor academic performance, he was not accepted to enroll at Johnson Bible College. At this time, Kameron returned to Indiana.
It wasn’t long Kameron soon found himself in the grips of the addiction he fought so hard to overcome. After another brief period of homelessness and unemployment, Kameron decided he needed to try recovery again. This time was in Toledo, Ohio. Kameron again excelled in treatment and graduated from Mid-West Recovery Center. He decided to stay in Toledo because he felt that is where his support was. He obtained a good job laying fiber optic pipeline, made new friends and was genuinely happy where he was in life.
On July 21, 2019, Kameron asked a friend to borrow his car to run to the store. When Kameron returned his friend shared that Kameron was not acting right. They went on with their evening plans with Kameron included. By the end of the evening Kameron’s friends confronted him. Kameron admitted he had purchased heroin earlier that evening when he borrowed the car. His friends stated it was late, and they would all talk about it in the morning. The morning never came for Kameron. Kameron laid down to go to sleep and would not awaken. Kameron passed away from a lethal fentanyl dose in the early hours of July 22, 2019.
The lives of Kameron’s family and friends were forever changed that morning when they received the news of Kameron’s death.
“The pain of grief has been unimaginable for all of us. Something we’d never wish on another family,” said Laura.
Five years after Kameron’s passing, his mother and sisters decided it was time to establish the Kameron Draper Memorial Foundation through the Scott County Community Foundation. The fund is established to bring awareness to overdose and addiction challenges to those in our community.
“Addiction does not discriminate and bringing awareness to this and the rise in overdoses is what this fund will strive to do as well as assisting efforts for those in the early stages seeking recovery,” shared Laura.
Donations can be made to the Scott County Community Foundation; PO Box 25, Scottsburg, IN 47170, or may be made online at www.scottcountyfoundation.org.
