Without a doubt, Vickie Larison of Middlesex Township has courage beyond the scope many adults affected by tragedy could muster.

And, her poignant message about the dangers of huffing - the intentional inhalation of common household products - has an indisputably gripping meaning for people who hear it - because she is living the consequences of that dangerous practice.

Her 12-year-old son, Zack, a Mars Middle School student, died in July after inhaling hair spray. The huffing episode snuffed out the life of a boy Vickie Larison describes as energetic, funny and naturally helpful.

It's uncommon but not rare for someone affected by a tragic occurrence to eventually become a vocal advocate aimed at steering others from similar tragic ends. But Larison's stepping-forward to point the community's attention at the huffing problem and the possible fatal consequences tied to that practice is notable because she has begun her mission so quickly after her son's death.

On Saturday, she acknowledged the difficulty of publicly discussing the loss of her son and why he died as she addressed people who attended the Zack Larison Memorial Reality Tour at the Butler YWCA. Those in attendance recognized and acknowledged her courage, and many also displayed the impact of her message by way of the tears that were in their eyes.

Hopefully she will be able to extend her anti-huffing mission far beyond Saturday's session and a school talk that she said she was planning.

Parents not familiar with the huffing problem that is growing in America must be informed about it and the possible deadly stakes that it involves. The urgency of spreading the message is intensified by national statistics that show one in five students use inhalants to get high by the time they reach eighth grade.

Meanwhile, across the nation, inhalant-use increases of 18 percent among eighth graders and 44 percent among sixth graders reveal that the problem must be given attention on a par with other aspects of the anti-drug battle.

The fact that huffing doesn't involve a drug deal should in no way diminish the seriousness with which the practice is regarded. And, it's appropriate to remind people that huffing is not limited to the young.

Zack Larison's mistake cost him the prospect of a bright, productive future. In addition, that mistake caused his family and friends intense sorrow and grief.

To her credit, Vickie Larison is not only remembering Zack and the good times she and her son experienced, but also allowing Zack's short life to have a profound positive impact on the lives of others who might someday face the temptation to which he succumbed.

The community owes her a debt of gratitude for her commitment to saving others.

- J.R.K.