Cody: The inspiration he left behind
Since an early age, Gigi Fierro, freshman, has had a passion for music and performing. From performing at the Boys and Girls club to posting singing videos on her YouTube channel, Fierro had always turned to music for enjoyment only. However, recently, music has given her a new purpose. After the death of her brother Cody in June from long-term effects of drug abuse, Fierro has been channeling her love for songwriting to express how she is coping with his death and inform people about the dangers of drug addiction.
“Cody was a very loving, inspiring person,” Fierro said. “You would just look at him and think, ‘He can make a change. He’s gonna change.’ He wasn’t always the way he was before. Before his drug use.”
26-year old Cody passed away July 30 this year from a massive heart attack. While heart attacks are usually unexpected, Cody’s system had been suffering for years as a result of his heavy drug abuse and addiction.
Cody was a Newbury Park High School graduate of the class of 2006. An active and involved athlete on campus, Cody was known for his prowess in baseball. To this day, he still holds the Newbury Park High School career homerun record with twenty home runs. In addition to playing for the school, Cody was also a former All-Marmonte league outfielder and pitcher.
According to his obituary, “Cody’s first love was baseball as he played his first season at the age of 5 … Some of his family’s best memories took place at various baseball diamonds and tournaments watching him shine.”
For several years, Cody experimented with drugs–primarily narcotics. Though Cody eventually found an end to his seven year drug addiction, his previous actions had taken a toll on his body. Despite abstaining for one complete year, Cody suffered a heart attack as a result of the body damage his substance abuse had caused over the years.
His sister, who has been doing her best to stay positive, has been using her brother’s story to write songs to express her feelings and inform people about the dangers and implications of substance abuse.
“Just think about how it’s gonna end, when you start. Cody didn’t die just from doing drugs then and there, doing it in that moment. He was clean for over a year, a full year,” Gigi said. “but he was an addict for seven. It’s all the prior effects from before that lead up to what happen[s].”
By spreading Cody’s story through her music, Gigi is hoping to inspire students to think about their actions now, before it’s too late. She currently volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club, teaching guitar, bass, drums and ukulele. Along with teaching these instruments, she also teaches writing skills. Her main motivation is to inspire kids to express themselves in a healthy way, just as she is doing.
“If you share [your story] through music it feels like a whole new world where, no matter what, everyone can hear it and almost understand it,” Gigi said. “One thing I really believe is that music is a good way to spread a positive message. I want others to find a way to work through their problems, so I’m working to achieve just that.”
To listen to Gigi Fierro’s songs, you can subscribe to her YouTube channel: Gigi Fierro.
