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Season 22, Episode 19 (Intervention Canada)

Elann
Age: 28
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Addiction: Alcohol

Official Synopsis:  Elann has suffered through more loss than most 28-year-olds. Unable to process the untimely deaths of her father and brother, Elann obliterates her emotions with an ever-present bottle of vodka. Seeing her daughter’s mental health in steep decline, Elann’s mother believes this intervention is the only hope of pulling her back from the abyss.

What’s Memorable:  There were the things that I thought were going to be memorable and then the final screen happened and nothing I thought mattered mattered anymore. “Things can only go up from here. We both have so much to look forward to now” Elann said right before the screen told us what happened after treatment.  Shocking and devastating, and so tragic.  I can’t stop thinking about how she was sober for her final months before she took her life but was in so much deep pain from everything she had been through that not even sobriety could save her.  And I can’t stop thinking about her mother. I just…have no words.

Elann Christine Masters died of intentional overdose at age 30 on March 5, 2019.

Interventionist: Andrew Galloway
Date Aired: July 12, 2021  (Aired as Intervention Canada Season 3 Episode 15, on June 26, 2018)

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  1. Eddie

    This episode made me so, so sad. And her mother, God her poor poor mother. Losing both of her kids, and her ex-husband, the father of her kids. The only saving grace I can see here is that she has her grandson, and her current husband, but to lose both children, I cannot imagine the world of pain she is in. I hope Elann is resting peacefully. I could not stop thinking about her mother today.

    1. Racerx

      I think the guy that headed the intervention was cold and not very welcoming, or showing the compassion that he should have. In my mind I called the final outcome though.I knew that she wouldn’t make it. People that blame every bad thing in their life as a reason to drink are always going to fail. Fact. Only the the strong take responsibility and own up to their issues

      1. Gigi

        That’s a very simplistic assessment that undoubtedly makes life very comfortable for you

      2. Kat

        Addiction is a disease. There are always reasons to drink, because a body that is suffering from a severe lack of certain brain chemicals that comes with addiction kicks the brain into survival mode. You should educate yourself on addiction before you go making harmful statements about “strength.”

      3. Jackson

        This is a horribly ignorent statement, im guessing your about 17 years old and have zero life experience. The poor woman was raped, her father committed suicide and her brother died unexpectantly. Not sure how much of that she is responsible for and can own up to herself as her issues. You dummy

  2. Dizzy

    From an article I found:

    “She almost had a year completely clean, she went to the gym every day, she was like a total 180, completely different person,” her mother says.

    Elann had a relapse though in January and was about three weeks into a 28-day treatment program when she checked out unexpectedly. Masters could not find her or find out exactly what happened until it was too late. Now, she wants to prevent others from falling through the cracks.

    “It kills me as a parent that she died alone in a hotel room,” she says.

    https://www.campbellrivermirror.com/news/tragedy-leads-to-hope-for-masters-family/

    1. Eddie

      I just finished reading this article. What a wonderful thing her mother and sister are doing. I really hope her mother is doing well.

    2. Kara Bishop

      Dizzy, thank you so much for sharing this article!!! All you have done on your amazing site has helped so many people! I feel such sorrow for Elann’s mother who has now lost both of her children and her ex-husband! I am myself, being a recovering addict, and a best friend of someone who tragically took her own life due to drugs and mental illness and family issues, so I understand the extreme need for mental health and addiction support as soon as possible! I just have no words left to say, but that I am sending my love and prayers to Elann’s family & friends! She seemed like such a lovely person, even in her addiction, she seemed so loving and caring and not abusive like other addicts! At least she is now at peace in heaven with her father and brother! And it seems like her mother has an amazing husband that I’m sure has been very supportive to her during this traumatic time! Addiction and mental illness need more support and awareness!!!!! ❤️🙏🏼❤️

  3. Elizabeth

    God. I had such hope for Elann. I cannot express how sad and shocked I was at that final screen. I gasped so loud my dogs jumped and my mouth hung open for probably 30 seconds. So so sad, it truly pains me to know and think about how hard she tried to get better, got sober, and it still wasn’t enough. Her pain and darkness was too much and it took her life, just so devastating. I hope her mother is okay, I hope she knows many of us are thinking of her. This is so much for a single person to handle and I hope Elann’s mother can find peace, and at least Elann is resting now with no more pain and trauma chasing her around. Ugh 🙁

    1. Dizzy

      I did the exact same thing. Gasped loud enough to wake the dog up and then sat there staring at the screen with my mouth open and tears in my eyes. I can’t recall ever being so shocked at the final screen.

      1. Lindsay

        Same! I was hand-over-mouth shocked, and so saddened. I keep thinking about her poor mother saying, “you’ll be here for my next birthday, right?” 😞

      2. Grace Wolfe

        Same here, I still have the screen on pause, “Her family and friends are grateful for the positive months of sobriety that Elann experienced before her passing.” When she was sitting on the couch with the counselor going over those papers, something didn’t look right. I am no expert, but she seemed so fragile, still. So many people turn their heads to mental illness as if it isn’t real or that it isn’t a struggle/disease. Her Mother and Aunt have a FB page called Masters of Hope to help others.

      3. Kara Bishop

        Me too!!! But with my cats…. And i just sat there staring at the screen with my mouth open and tears swelling from my eyes!!!

    2. Amy

      I could not agree more w you! I gasped so hard and my mouth hung open in such shock. I paused those words up on my tv and couldn’t stop reading them over and over. It was so upsetting to read. I felt so badly for Elann and her mom along w the friends and family. How truly devastating. I’m so sorry for their loss again. My heart goes out to all of them. God bless. This one was the most shocking over the years of watching this show.

    3. Nicole Owens

      Same!!! I said out loud “oh no!!”
      It breaks my heart ❤️ because I believe she would have been capable of doing great things. It was just too little too late. Her momma has got to be one of the strongest people in the world 🌍

  4. Gigi

    My heart is broken…Elann had such a sweet nature even in her addiction…she wasn’t hurtful or abusive to those she loved…she truly just wanted to be pain free and now she is.

    1. Gigi

      I watched this episode for a second time and saw a dinner scene that I had missed where Elann was cruel to Mike but for the most part she seemed like a pretty loving and drama free addict. I’m so deeply saddened and moved. Another thing that struck me after a 2nd viewing was the absolute grace with which Andrew handled the intervention.

  5. Caitlin

    I find the alcoholics tough to watch. My dad was a drunk and died when his liver failed so it brings up really tough memories. I was so sad for Elann and even more so that she was dealing with so much untreated trauma. I so wish she had been able to help beyond rehab (which she really needed). She broke my heart.

  6. Holly Berry

    The black screen at the end was a kick in the face. I said, “Jesus Christ!” out loud and my husband watching tv in the other room asked what happened. Her poor mother. Both kids and her ex husband dead, two by suicide. It’s so much to process. It’s a tragedy.

    1. Stefan

      Indeed. Reminds me of Brian’s dad who has lost everyone in his immediate family within a period of just three years.

    2. Todd

      I couldn’t agree more Holly. There isn’t enough sympathy on the planet for Tracy Masters.

  7. Melissity

    When I saw her sober, something didn’t sit right with me. There was something in the tone of her voice that just didn’t convince me she was happy or proud of herself…. That final screen hit like a ton of bricks! My heart just hurts for this family.
    On another note, and forgive me if this is insensitive, but does anyone know what substance she OD’d on? And what determined it was intentional and not just a high-gone-wrong? Her drug of choice was alcohol… the only thing my brain can muster up is she injected absurd amounts of heroin or ingested a handful of narcotic painkillers (maybe with alcohol?) I hate that depression can manifest itself so intensely that it makes people feel that there is no way out.

    HEY YOU! Yes, you, reading this: YOU MATTER! And your life is worth living! <3

    1. April S.

      I agree about her tone and attitude after treatment. I sat there thinking, “She’s going to relapse quick.” There was something in her eyes, the way she spoke, the obvious fake smiles that screamed she wasn’t happy or hopeful about staying sober.

      1. Gigi

        The pain was too much to sit with in sobriety.

    2. Lindsay

      Opioids. I’m assuming there was probably a note or something to distinguish that it was a suicide? Just guessing, though.

      1. Cece fannin

        I was so effected by this episode because I lost 2 of my brothers to drugs and I still can’t fathom my mom still living and dealing with her eldest and her youngest being dead. My husband owns a recovery center in New Jersey please if anyone can get a hold of the mom please give her my email and tell her my husband is willing to come to her area to help and give need to who ever needs it no matter if they have no money. He will do as much and help as many people he can please pass this on to the mom Thank you CeCe

    3. Lily

      I thought the same exact thing. She didn’t seem happy at the end at all. She seemed completely numbed out. But I was still surprised to find out she killed herself though. I thought if anything, she would relapse due to being unhappy. I think realizing that even in complete sobriety she was miserable and unable to see the light– even more so than when she was drunk perhaps– was just too much for her to bare. She couldn’t keep going any longer. In both sickness and in health she was so unhappy, I just hope she’s found a little peace now that she’s been reunited with her dad and brother.

  8. Adri

    Wow this episode really, really hit me. I’m also an addict I recover and Elann reminded me so much of myself. It hurt that she couldn’t be saved. I wish I had known her. Woman to woman. RIP honey

    1. Alexandra

      I felt the same way. She reminded me so much of myself. I hope you are doing well today.

  9. April

    I would say out of all the alcoholics her story mirrored mine the most. I lost my mom and brother within 11 months of each other. And her feelings of her brother being the more successful or loved one really hit home for me. I am thankful every damn day I didn’t walk away from my life and I was able to find the strength to stop. May she Rest In Peace and love. And I wish her mother the best as she tries to go forward.

  10. AK

    I have no idea how her mother handles life. Losing her ex-husband and son and now her. I really can’t imagine the amount of pain she is in and it makes me so incredibly sad because you can’t recover from grief, it’s just always there.
    The end of this episode was shocking, but I think you could tell that she was depressed, from her tone and manners. I don’t think she could handle all that pain and loss sober, even though she tried. Rest in peace.

  11. hanna

    This one is such a hard hitter, the exact reason I am studying to be a substance abuse counselor. So sad for her family. Now I am going to go on a huge ass rant I have thought about since this one aired, so bear with me here. OK, the rehab industry sucks and Elann’s story proves it, let me elaborate. People drink, drug, gamble, binge, shop, etc to cope, and when you are in rehab, guess what, you learn how to cope in a “positive manner”. There goes the BS flag, coping is not good regardless of the manner in which you do it Here is why, when you cope, you only deal with the issue in its current status, for example, when you have a flashback to your traumatic incident, you cope by figuring out how to manage that current flashback, then you forget about it until the next incident. So in other words, healthily or unhealthily you are pushing it down, bottling it up, tossing it out the window, whatever you want to call it. What rehab is failing to do is teach you how to LIVE with your traumas instead of shoving it aside. And it has been heard time and time again both on this show and in general that the addiction is what is keeping someone from taking their lives, because they are COPING not LIVING. When you learn how to live with your traumas instead of cope, you are learning how to deal with it when it comes to the forefront of mind, and when its not, but you are also learning how to use your story and experiences to create peace, hope, strength, and resilience in your life. When you cope, there is no peace, hope, strength, and resilience, because again, healthily or unhealthily you are not facing it head on. So this is why I am becoming a substance abuse counselor to help people go from victims to victors and to use their stories and experiences to change their own lives and outlook on life, as well as being able to help others do the same.
    TLDR: coping does not ultimately fix your problems, even in a healthy way and rehabs should stop teaching coping with trauma and start teaching living with it.

    1. Gigi

      Hanna your comment is incredibly insightful…thank you for sharing.

    2. Megan Wynn

      Amen, Hanna. Coping with trauma is not the same as confronting it, which may turn out to be a lifelong process. Elann carried far too much damage inside, and with far too little in the way of inner resources to confront that damage, for three months in a facility to turn her life around. What a terrible legacy of tragedy for this family to bear, including her brother’s children; Elann’s interactions with them showed the person she truly was, and could bloom into with the right ongoing help.

    3. William J Gallucci

      You are going to be an incredible counselor if you continue to stand by your approach on this matter god bless you

    4. Kat

      I absolutely agree with this. Rehab got me sober, but current recovery systems couldn’t have kept me sober. Luckily, I figured that out pretty quickly (without having to relapse), and have been working through my traumas with a therapist. It’s a shame that not everyone in the US has access to therapy, as it’s so integral to recovery. The cynical part of me wonders if the recovery model will ever change, though, as the current one is a billion dollar industry.

    5. Marcia L Cannady

      Treatment facilities in Canada are not the same as treatment facilities in the US. I’ve been a drug and alcohol counselor for 35 years and things have changed in our systems. We do still teach coping skills because everyone needs to have some. 80 day programs generally have mental health counseling and therapy. Attending therapy and a dual diagnosis program will help people deal with their part trauma if they (the client) is willing to open up about it. Coping means having the skills to live life on life’s terms. It doesn’t mean not facing past traumas but that’s not something that can be completely addressed in a program. Those are things that need to be addressed in intensive outpatient AFTER residential treatment and continual therapy thereafter. Even then, some people just can’t be helped. I think Ellan was one. My most difficult clients to treat are alcoholics. I would rather deal with any other type of addict than an alcoholic.

  12. Grace Wolfe

    I just watched this episode tonight and am saddened to learn that she took her own life on March 5th, 2019. Always be kind to others – you may never fully know what they are going through.

  13. lola

    i relate to her so much it scares me. Tracy is inspiring beyond words. they both will have a place in my heart every day from now on.

  14. kat

    I’ve been a long-time reader, but I’ve never felt compelled to comment until now. Like others, I was completely taken aback when I saw the update that she had died. It was very jarring and upsetting to see that while the upbeat music was still playing. I kind of wish the interventionist had been allowed to appear and give that update/share the resources. I feel such empathy for her family and friends, especially her mother. Intervention has been featuring a ton of intravenous drug users recently, and I appreciated the focus on a young, female alcoholic for a change. I suspect there was even more to her story, as far as trauma goes. I’ve rarely seen an addict on this show whose pain has run so deep.

    About halfway through the episode, Andrew said something at the pre-intervention that stuck out to me. He said–and I’m paraphrasing–that she needed to feel her pain. As someone who has been in therapy (including EMDR) for years, I understand this rationale. But in the moment, I had the knee-jerk response of wondering what’s actually wrong with wanting to avoid pain? Isn’t that a natural response, albeit taken to the extreme in Elann’s case? I think this speaks to the issue Hanna raised in her excellent comment about what is coping vs what is actual healing.

    After hearing Elann’s story and seeing how deeply she just didn’t want to experience reality, I was skeptical that she’d be able to get past her trauma. Sadly, her stepfather was right. She was broken. This was an incredibly moving episode.

    1. Natalie

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

    2. Gregory D Moore

      I had the same thought. While the sudden information that she had taken her own life certainly worked for “shock value,” for me, it seemed more like a cursory add-on that might have been more sensitively handled. In any case, a sad and truly shocking ending. This poor young lady’s will to live must have finally slipped from her grasp.

      1. Natalie

        I agree. That update felt rushed.

      2. AMA

        I watched this episode with a few folks, and we are really felt sucker punched by that update. I can’t remember another episode that spent so much time “showing” someone in recovery. She seemed so likable and so traumatized but it seemed so promising.

    3. Dizzy

      I think having the interventionist deliver the news to the audience would be a much better approach, good idea Kat.

  15. alice schmid

    that friend who came over and talked, in front of everyone, about that time they did acid together, or got so drunk together. In front of elann’s family. And then the sudden rape bomb. Felt so so staged.

    1. April

      I totally agree! I immediately thought that the Producers asked the friend to bring up past transgressions while Elann was wasted to get her to admit a rape that she had most likely already revealed to the crew.
      “So whatever happened to that guy in the hot tub at that party?”
      Gee, what an oddly specific question…

  16. Kitty Katt

    This is the first time that my mouth literally dropped when I saw the closing caption. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time we ever saw an episode with an addict at treatment and then it cuts to the addict having committed suicide. Almost always, we don’t find out about their death (whether by suicide or any other cause) until years later. Just when I thought nothing on Intervention can shock me anymore…..here comes this one.
    My heart broke for this girl. You can tell she was a good soul who was so conflicted and full of pain. I’m sadden to see that even though she had been sober for a long while before she committed suicide, I wish she would have made it through with her depression. The alcohol masked her pain but being sober she had to face it head on.
    I too suffer from major depression and anxiety. Self medicating is always the easier way out than to face it head on stone cold sober. For a long time, I wasn’t living but just existing. Waking up in the morning (if you even slept at all) is pure torture knowing you have to live another day like the last one. Depression affects everyone around you as well. Although I never tried to hurt myself, the thought ran through my head very often. It was only then that I decided I need help. I have my good days and bad days but I thank God that the years of darkness I was living in are over. The only regret I have today is that I wish I would have went a lot sooner for help. I’ve lost so much of my life and my kids lost out on having a mother who is well.
    I can’t imagine what Elann’s mother is feeling and how she manages to find strength each day. Losing your only 2 children and ex-husband is just inconceivable. So much trauma was put on this family. Her mother came across as being very caring and lovable. God bless her.

    1. Stefan

      I think the only other one was Chris, and even then it wasn’t immediately after the episode aired.

    2. Dizzy

      Definitely the first episode where on the first airing, the final screen was about their suicide. Bret and Lawrence both had final screens about their deaths after the first live airing of their episodes, but they were not suicides. We found out about Chris’s suicide after a repeat airing of the episode. They haven’t done that since then, now the episodes where someone ultimately died are never re-aired with an update. A&E doesn’t even do reruns at all anymore now that I think about it – other networks sometimes do but they don’t have updates. Good lord why do I know all this.

      1. Stefan

        A&E definitely still does reruns. If you Google Intervention it’ll list the upcoming episodes and whether or not they’re new or reruns.

      2. April S.

        I have 14 reruns on my DVR right now, 12 from A&E and 2 from Vice. I just watched Nathan’s episode from 2017 in Canada. Poor guy. 🙁

      3. Kitty Katt

        LOL….because you are addicted to Intervention like the rest of us…..that’s why!

      4. Dizzy

        Ope, my mistake, A&E apparently does air reruns. Turns out I do not in fact know everything. 🙂

  17. Tori

    I would like to echo the sentiment that I’ve seen in other comments that I really felt for Elann and the ending was shocking, sad, and could’ve been handled more sensitively with a clip from the interventionist instead of a caption. I noticed that she seemed to have an emptiness even after getting sober. One thing that didn’t sit right with me was the scene where her friend kept mentioning the drugs (like acid) that they did together. It seemed out of nowhere, not something to bring up at her parents’ birthday dinner, and as if it was a prompt to get her to discuss more of her trauma. It makes me feel like Intervention is 90% real, but there is some finagling for content.
    But did anyone else notice that they sent her to a local rehab? I haven’t seen them do that since season 1 when they had a lower budget – they usually have them on a flight across the country, no matter how bad of shape they’re in. Is there any reason why they did that this time?

  18. Jamie

    Jesus, I cried through the entire intervention and obviously after. This was the most heart wrenching, heartbreaking episode of intervention I’ve ever seen. Everyone, including Andrew, exuded so much love for her. It’s absolutely fucking tragic that it wasn’t enough.

    I’ve never seen an interventionist with such a clear connection with the addict before. I’m crying again.

  19. Brenna

    I just watched this episode and I am in tears. I was so excited for her seeing how well she did in treatment and was so happy her mom was going to have her daughter back. I am so sad for her. My heart goes out to her family and friends 💔

  20. AMA

    I just watched this episode and I am so angry. I’ve always believed that the show just served as a vehicle to get people into treatment. This is the first episode where it seemed like production cared more about manufacturing shock more than helping a family in need. When the childhood friend made multiple attempts to revisit the past,
    I definitely cringed. It felt so staged. Then, the ending! Dragging out the scenes of her “recovery” only to shell shock us with her death. I cried—I’m not an addict and never have been. But I grapple with tremendous amount of trauma, including being a younger sibling who survived and is haunted by the conviction that doing so was a fluke. Elann’s story broke my heart.

  21. Marie Castellano

    Elann’s mom must be so devastated after losing her husband to suicide, her son and then her daughter to suicide. How can she go on? My heart goes out to her and I hope she’s getting help. I don’t think her severe depression was addressed as it should’ve been. Was she on medication for depression? What were the signs if any , that she would take her life? It’s hard to watch such an episode and not get more details on how everyone is doing in the aftermath of this poor girls suicide. She had such close, good friends and a wonderful mother. How could they not have seen signs that she was not all better? Tragic!

  22. Marie A

    My husband and I, where rooting for Elann . Her mother pouring her heart out, we started to cry. The LASt screen we both said WHAT !! Left us with our mouth gaped open on shock. Bless her mom/family 🙏

  23. BB

    Wow this episode REALLY hit home for me…this was my life. I know that pain she felt in the deep dark depths of her soul. So incredibly sad that she wasn’t able to live the life that I now have in recovery. I hope now that she’s finally at peace and I also hope that her loved ones find peace in knowing that she’s no longer suffering from the torment that she was experiencing here on earth. 💗

  24. Melissa Empey

    My heart breaks for her family….especially her mother. I have a daughter who has addiction issues and is clinically bipolar. I have had to do tough love now and it scares me beacuse i am.doing that she will do the things i am most afraid of. I do not know how to help her anymore. She has a child as well and all i pray is that she get treatment

  25. Sue

    Heartbreaking. I felt she would relapse-the joy or sense of freedom you see some show after treatment was not there.
    Why did they keep her in Nanaimo? I would not think it was cost-Edgewood is very expensive-not somewhere you can easily afford. 3 months treatment is Not enough-never.
    My son is 4+ years sober now-after finally completing a 2 year program. I also have a 39 yo niece in recovery-she made it almost a year in treatment. Still a daily struggle.
    The mom-my heart breaks for her-and her aunt. And even though I know intellectually that the dad had his own demons that led to him taking his life-I still felt so angry that he let her (and his son) down, thinking she wasn’t enough for him to live for. It’s like he wrote the manuscript for her decline and eventual suicide. I have been trying to view him with empathy.

  26. Nancy

    Just finished this one. I can’t remember seeing such a sad and disturbing episode. I pray for her mother dealing with her entire family gone now. RIP Elann

  27. La

    I went to rehab with her and we chatted often.. R.I.P

  28. Rachel

    While many episodes make me teary eyed… I’ve never gasped at the final scene. I burst into tears. I feel for her mother so much. And for her to find the strength to not only carry on, but try to help others… wow. Just wow. RIP Elann. I hope you’ve found the peace you so were so desperately searching for, babygirl.

  29. S.

    Again, I have so many gripes with whoever edits these episodes. There have been other subjects who have passed away after their interventions but all of the timing and the music still playing just absolutely JARRED me. I was sitting there thinking, “oh I’m so glad she completed treatment, but she looks so sad still-” then boom, that final screen is up for a matter of seconds. I thought I misread something at first.

    I feel so, so horrible for her family and friends. A lot of the Canada episodes this season have been really tough, christ…

  30. Claire

    I just watched this episode for the first time last night and I’ve been thinking about it all day.

    Even before she revealed that she had been raped, I got the sense that Elann had been through some kind of sexual trauma. I can’t put my finger on why— maybe it was the specific feelings she was struggling with, her body language, or something else. But I was actually surprised when she talked about her past that sexual abuse wasn’t mentioned. The way she drunkenly mentioned the rape in a casual way at a birthday party made complete sense to me. I felt for her because it was clear that this was something she’d been struggling with internally and felt unable to share, and that it just kind of fell out when her inhibitions were lowered. I’ve had that happen before and it’s TOUGH. For me it felt like my secret was out and everyone was judging me both for being damaged and for being too drunk (even though the response from the people around me was kind).

    Seeing her reveal that she was raped mid-episode made me wonder how often there is sexual trauma in a person’s history versus how often that is disclosed on the show/how often the family knows about it. Because I mean, my family had no idea about any of the sexual abuse I’ve experienced. And that seems relatively common among folks who have been through sexual trauma.. Learning how to tell another person about being violated like that is a long process for many people. I wouldn’t be surprised if some addicts portrayed either choose not to disclose or don’t understand that what they experienced was abuse. I hadn’t thought about this as much before.

    The ending really caught me off guard, it’s incredibly sad that she wasn’t able to find peace and resolve her feelings. I can’t blame her for making the choice she did. Living when you’re that depressed is torment. My heart goes out to her and everyone she left behind.

    1. Lena

      Sexual abuse or rape seems to be hugely predominant when you see female alcoholics.

  31. Intervention Enthusiast

    elann christine: you are such a perfect, gorgeous soul. thank you for the time you were here.

    1. Lena

      What a beautiful comment.

    2. Britt

      I agree, Elann was special. RIP beautiful soul.

  32. Alexandra

    This episode really hit home – it was like watching myself. I am the same age Elann would have been if she were still alive, we both were 18 in 2005 and had similar stories. I’m now sober but so easily could have been where she is now. I will not drink to day in her honor. Sincerely hope her mother has found peace and support after so much loss.

    1. Molly

      I felt the same. we are the same age, and elann would be 35 today just like me. I am an alcoholic as well and I’m devastated that this disease can take so much from us.

  33. Jayla

    like others I was profoundly affected watching this and seeing that last screen. I hope Elann has peace now. And I hope her family can continue to heal 🙏

  34. Molly

    wishing so much love and peace to elann’s family. she fought so hard her whole life but in the end the disease took her away. what a sad episode, but so grateful to elann’s family for opening their doors for this so that we could all get the chance to know her, too. ❤️

  35. Lena

    I was very drunk when I got watched this episode and the ending was a huge wake up call for me. I hate seeing people so sad, and I’m lucky I have a lot to live for. I just need to get and stay sober. A lot harder said than done.

    1. April S.

      I was diagnosed in early February with early-stage Cirrhosis after my abdomen started bloating quickly. Been drinking for years and it finally caught up with me. I just turned 40 and when I went to the ER for this, the doctor basically scared me (and rightfully so) that if I drink anymore, it WILL get a lot worse and possibly kill me. I’m on medications now to help with drainage of fluid but I know it’s inevitable that I’ll be put on a liver transplant list. I had my nightly rituals of making my vodka/cranberry (I never drank during the day or had any dependency or withdrawals) and since the doc told me the situation, I haven’t touched a drop of alcohol. And honestly, it wasn’t hard and I’m not even tempted to drink. Knowing where I’m at and where it can go, it’s absolutely not worth it.

  36. Edu

    That last screen was so tough to watch. I was so shocked, I was really hoping she could have overcome her addiction. It was one of these moments when I stopped and reflected about my own life and how fortunate I am to just be alive and free of any addiction.

  37. Sophie

    I was blindsided by that screen at the end. Her poor mother, I cannot imagine how she must have felt. I don’t want to. To lose your whole family you once had, that’s indescribable pain. I hope Elann is finally at peace and her family/friends are doing well considering this horrific loss. Cannot stop thinking of her mom. This will haunt me for a while.

    1. Stefan

      I couldn’t agree more. I felt the same way about Brian’s dad after he died and I learned that his wife and daughter had also died before Brian. The saving grace is that he still at least had two grandchildren through his daughter.

  38. Julian

    My favorite episodes are Lana and Elann. I can hardly explain it, but they are both very lovable. Both have big hearts. I was shocked when I read that Elann had taken her own life.
    I watched the episode several times and wondered if I could have helped her. I have been a quarterly drinker for 12 years. Despite going to the clinic, I was never able to finally stop drinking.
    But: I saw intervention. Before that, I started drinking sometimes weekly. Now there are often 4 to 12 weeks in between. I’ll make it! Lots of love from Germany.

    1. Britt

      Elann was one my favourites too, were both from Canada and both alcoholics. I used to abuse cocaine as well. I saw myself in her and could see us being friends if we had met. I thought she was funny and just a beautiful soul all around. I hope she’s at peace now