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Robert “Bobby” Criss was on his way to Baltimore’s Hope House where a bed was waiting for him to continue in his recovery and counseling after a trip to Texas, his cousin, Connie Ratliff said.
Bobby never made it to Hope House.
His body was found alongside an unidentified man in Carroll Park in Baltimore on the evening of Wednesday, June 1, and he was pronounced dead at 48 years old.
Bobby had been dead for an unknown amount of time before his body was found, surrounded by the substances that haunted him.
His family spent even more time waiting for answers, getting confirmation after his fingerprints identified him on June 22.
"He fought these demons for years to numb the pain he carried deep inside of his past,” Ratliff said. "I just wish people would see addiction comes in many different ways. From illegal to legal, it's still an addiction.”
More than 104,000 Americans lost their battle to addiction in a 12-month period ending in Sep. 2021, according to the CDC.
Furthermore, 40.3 million people aged 12 or older had a past-year substance use disorder, according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Before his addiction, Bobby grew up playing and loving sports, but nothing could ever top the love he had for his family, loved ones say.
Those who were close to him called him a "happy-go-lucky" man.
Despite his struggles, Bobby always made a point to check in on his family, make sure they were okay, and always ended a conversation with "Love you,” Ratliff said.
He was a loving father and grandfather, always trying to make others laugh.
"Even if he was the butt of the joke or making a fool of himself, nothing made him happier,” Ratliff added.
The loss of Bobby Criss is a tragic reminder not only of the pain that addicts and their loved ones endure, but of their humanity beyond addiction.
"There is an emptiness that will never be filled, questions with no answers for closure,” Ratliff said. "They are human beings, not just those people. Everyone makes mistakes, theirs just happens to be in the spotlight for the public to judge.”
To access the GoFundMe supporting the family of Bobby Criss, click here.
To access resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), call SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP.
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