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After losing her children, Sydney and Larry Joyner, to drug overdoses, Michelle Mansfield (not pictured) is an advocate against common stigmas some have about the disease of drug addiction.
Michelle Mansfield (left) with her children, Logan, Larry, and Sydney.
A local mother is enduring what is said to be the worst pain a parent can experience; losing her children.
Michelle Mansfield laid her daughter, Sydney Joyner, and her son Larry ‘Bubba’ Joyner III to rest within seven months of one another. She is supported by her surviving son, Logan, and her grandson, Nolan, as the family navigates insurmountable grief.
“I just want my children to be remembered not as another overdose case,” said Mansfield.
Sydney died at age 20 on December 16, 2022 and Larry died on July 25, 2023 at age 19 – both as a result of fentanyl toxicity. Three individuals have been charged thus far in relation to their deaths.
“They were just beginning their lives, and it was taken,” said Mansfield, who remains a strong advocate for her children.
Mansfield has appeared at each court date where those charged in her children’s deaths were set to appear, often giving a statement before the judge. Although making these court appearances brings heartache, she remains a voice for both Sydney and Larry.
“My children… they have no voice anymore, so I am going to be that voice and I still am going to protect them,” said Mansfield.
She describes Sydney as a happy-go-lucky woman who loved life, and Larry as a protector and a peacemaker.
“I don’t have my peacemaker anymore. I don’t have my giggly, radiant, beautiful daughter anymore,” said Mansfield.
She holds onto memories of her children smiling and joking around with one another as they would often do, and cooking some of their favorite meals.
“My children loved food, and that is some of our greatest memories,” said Mansfield, who would often prepare a favorite of her kids – fries loaded with meats and cheeses reminiscent of a dish by Mi Rancho in Barnwell.
“It hurts because they’re not here to laugh and cut up like we used to do,” she said. “When I remember good memories, I’m crying because I’m sad and I’m crying because I’m happy.”
She has fond memories of attending Barnwell football games where Sydney was cheerleading and Larry was on the field playing football. She always made sure to be there, rooting them on from the stands.
Mansfield describes the past year as overwhelming. She often finds herself thinking of these happy moments, which too quickly have become blended with reminders of her loss.
When Sydney first started using drugs, Mansfield went to every extent for help. She detoxed her daughter at home, fought for a spot in a rehab facility, and even got a judge involved to get Sydney into rehab per court order.
However, Mansfield felt those with bad intentions were always waiting for Sydney when she returned home.
“Then it wasn’t the drugs anymore, it was the people,” said Mansfield. “They sucked her back in.”
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, no single factor can predict if a person will become addicted to drugs but rather a combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.
Mansfield explained Sydney truly loved life “before they got their claws into her.”
“I’m not saying she was totally innocent, but my child loved life,” said Mansfield, who doesn’t deny her daughter's addiction, but knew “my baby did not want to die.”
Less than a week before she died, Sydney was resuscitated using a defibrillator because Narcan did not work. Mansfield explained the concoction of drugs Sydney took the next time was only stronger, and resulted in her death.
“My baby had so many different chemicals in her body from the autopsy it was enough to kill a herd of horses,” said Mansfield. “She had no chance that last time.”
According to Mansfield, the investigation into Sydney’s death was poorly handled until taken over by the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) upon her request. She recalls being belittled by law enforcement officers from other agencies– telling her essentially that her daughter was an addict and this was par for the course.
A 2014 study by Dr. Beth McGinty, the chief of the Division of Health Policy and Economics in the Department of Population Health and Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, states, “the more shame associated with drug addiction, the less likely we as a community will be in a position to change attitudes and get people the help they need. If you can educate the public that these are treatable conditions, we will see higher levels of support for policy changes that benefit people with mental illness and drug addiction.”
The Axis I Center of Barnwell works to provide this education in a local effort to end the stigma that surrounds addiction. Contact the Axis I Center at 803-541-1245.
“It is never going to stop unless the community comes together,” said Mansfield. “It’s a repeated cycle.”
Mansfield explains she is tired of seeing new graves every time she goes to visit her son. She finds the cycle of drug abuse in Barnwell County could end if elected officials take a stronger stance, bringing harsher charges to repeat offenders, and removing various abandoned homes where drug use occurs.
“When they get hooked on these drugs, they become someone else. They are not the person that you know,” said Mansfield. “She loved her son, but the drugs took over.”
Mansfield now cares for Sydney’s son, Nolan, who is the reason she finds the strength to get out of bed each day.
“I have Nolan, and that is what has saved me. That is what I wake up for every morning,” said Mansfield of her grandson. “He is what saved me.”
She is determined to ensure Nolan, who will be turning three in March, will always remember his mother. He often will go to her urn, which sits on Mansfield’s nightstand, and touch it saying ‘mommy.’
Sydney was only able to celebrate Nolan’s first birthday.
After Sydney died, Larry and Logan made a commitment to be there for Nolan. Although they were grieving, the brothers wanted to remain positive influences for their nephew and be there in his time of need.
Mansfield explained everytime Nolan asks for ‘Bubba’ it breaks her heart just a little bit further.
When Larry died, Mansfield questioned how a boy who refused to take even ibuprofen when he had a headache ingested fentanyl.
“He was not a drug addict at all,” she said.
Less than a year ago, Larry saved both his and his brother’s life when Logan had a seizure behind the wheel. To prevent a fatal wreck, Larry acted swiftly to shut off the vehicle and support his brother.
“One day I am going to have to explain this to Nolan,” said Mansfield.
Although there is no form of justice that can bring her children back, Mansfield is waiting for the court system to handle the individuals charged in relation to her children’s deaths.
“People need to come together as a community instead of trying to hide and cover up,” said Mansfield, who feels the stigma surrounding drug abuse prevents more individuals from seeking help or coming forward.
Mansfield hopes her children are remembered for their kindness, infectious smiles, and positive mindsets.
