Lindy Thackston
First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Not everyone's date rape drug story is a tale of crime.

Meet 15-year-old Michael and his mom Debbie.

"I feel he's changing lives and saving lives," said Debbie Alumbaugh.

Debbie is one proud mother.

She remembers the Wednesday night Michael brought home a good progress report. Normally, only allowed out on school nights for karate lessons, Debbie let him go to the movies. His dad was awake when he got home.

"I could tell that Michael was high," said Brad Alumbaugh. "He looked down at the floor and he said Dad, we smoked some pot tonight, and I just took a deep breath that night looking at him and in my private thoughts I thought, as his father, how should I handle this situation? I'll do that in the morning."

Michael never missed the school bus, but a friend called and said Michael wasn't at the bus stop.

"So as I made my way to Michael's room I could hear his alarm blasting," said Brad. "When I opened his door, I, I just wanted to run, something wanted to run from the horrific scene. When I opened our baby boy's bedroom, I saw Michael, his eyes were just glaring at the ceiling and his mouth, it was hanging wide open."

"October the first, 1998, was the last day of Michael's life," said Brad.

"The medical examiner told me my son died a slow agonizing death that night."

"The kids they just seemed like they had a code of silence, you know?" said Brad. "They wouldn't tell us hardly anything."

But the medical examiner did.

"(Debbie) got a call from the medical examiner informing her that he indeed died from GHB," said Brad.

GHB doesn't bring on euphoria, but rather a dreamy stupor, or coma-like sleep.

Known for its use by date rapists, Michael took it willingly.

"It was his first and only time, brought into our home by his best friend," said Debbie. "Their friend isn't going to tell them, look, it's going to make you sick, it's going to make you vomit, and you're going to lay in your own mess. All they tell them is it's awesome."

Their child, smart and strong, died alone.

"That is what the date rape drug does, that's what GHB does," said Brad. "It paralyzed his motor systems and if there'd been a fly on his nose he wouldn't have even been able to lift his arm to swat the fly off."

"We have to break that code of silence because it does hurt and it does kill," said Debbie.

Brad and Debbie had shared Michael's message with more than 300,000 students.

"Every town we go to, everybody has a story, and that's a shame that everybody has a story to share," said Debbie.

They pass out GHB detector cards.

It takes one drop to see if someone spiked your drink. Visit www.michaelsmessage.org for more information.

They wrote a book that just became required reading in one Florida high school.

Michael's story is saving lives.

"I know we're doing what he wants us to do," said Debbie.

And for that, she's one proud mother.

For more on Michael's Message, and date rape drug detector cards, visit .

Related article:

FORT PIERCE - When Michael Paul Tiedemann died of a drug overdose in 1998, he was a sophomore at Westwood High School and it changed his parents' lives.

Michael, the youngest son of Brad and Debbie Alumbaugh, was only 15 years old when he died after using the drug Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate, known as the date rape drug.

The parents say they believe one of Michael's best friends brought the drug GHB to their house.

The experiment went bad, and the death of their son, Michael, left them, and a community in shock.

Michael's father said one year after his death, Michael appeared to him in a dream and gave him a message to give to youth.

"In the dream Brad saw Michael standing. Then Michael spoke and said, 'Dad, you don't have a clue about the drug use of my generation. You need to go out and tell them the truth,'" Mrs. Alumbaugh said.

They took that message to heart. They founded Michael's Message, a nonprofit organization. The couple educates the public and youth about the dangers of the illicit drug GHB and other designer/club drugs, as well as prescription drugs.

"We use a different approach, informing students of the poisons such as muriatic acid and floor stripper that are used to make these drugs. Michael's Message gives students tools and a better understanding that they can no longer just say 'no,' but teens must help their friends say 'no,' " Mrs. Alumbaugh said.

"I had the privilege of hearing the Alumbaugh's speak at Vero Beach High School when I was a senior. I remember feeling sad about their loss," said Megan Friesen.

"I feel like they definitely helped kids that were using drugs or thinking about using them by giving pertinent information on the effect and harm. It's information that you don't forget," Ms. Friesen said.

They took four years to write the book, "Michael: Who Would You Leave Behind?" is the story of their fight against drug abuse.

"The book and how it all came together is a special story in itself," Mrs. Alumbaugh said.

Through a ghostwriter and editor, they wrote Michael's message. Then, right when they needed it, a representative from the Educational Media Corporation, Earl Soronson, saw the Alumbaughs' presentation at a conference in Georgia and offered to publish the book.

"After the presentation Mr. Soronson told my husband that he believed in what we were doing and wanted to publish the book for us," Mrs. Alumbaugh said.

Recently, a motor home was given to the organization to help them travel throughout the nation proclaiming the message.

"Six new tires are needed for the bus, but we know they will come," Mrs. Alumbaugh said.

Gulf students hear "Michael's Message"
Gulf High School hosted an educational drug awareness program called Michael's Message on April 23, 2002.
Michael's Message Foundation, Inc., was founded to educate the public about the dangers of GHB and other designer drugs by Brad and Debbie Alumbaugh, the parents of Michael Paul Tiedemann, who died in 1998.

Michael's parents have shared "Michael's Message" with students, parents, and community leaders throughout Florida. They have testified before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources in Washington.

Students in grades 9 through 12 attended the presentation in the Activity Center during the day, and a parent forum was held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. to allow Michael's parents to share their message with parents and community leaders.

School social worker Wendy Kall promised that Michael's Message would be a powerful and moving presentation, and afterwards students who attended the presentation agreed.

More information is available at