OBITUARY

Tim passed on March 22, 2023, after losing his ongoing battle with addiction. Tim was born in Rowayton, Connecticut, but spent most of his formative years in Switzerland before moving to Scottsdale. Many only knew Tim through the lens of addiction, but his loved ones knew him as a beautiful, bright child who was well-known for his curly hair and quick wit. The difficult part of writing an obituary for a loved one who suffers from addiction is how much their life and legacy have been affected by addiction. How do you explain grieving for someone you have known your whole life, but hardly know? Grieving for all the possibilities that never happened because of addiction. Writing an obituary for someone that really didn’t have a life to detail. Grieving for all the opportunities that were missed because of addiction. Planning a celebration of life for someone who didn’t really have a life to celebrate, because of addiction. Thinking of that beautiful, smart, sweet, and funny boy who never really never matured past the age of 18 because of addiction. Grieving for the man that never got the opportunity to be a parent to his son or a grandparent to his granddaughter, because of addiction. Watching a mother grieve, once again for a child she has lost. But trying to be strong, because it’s something she has expected for many decades and because of addiction. What really sucks is knowing Tim is now just a statistic. One of the millions of lost souls, because of addiction. M That he will be remembered only through the lens of addiction. Sometimes with scorn, sometimes with pity, and only with sadness. Tim is survived by his mother, Barbara Smith, his son, Kiefer Koberstein, his many siblings and extended family and friends, and all those who loved him and prayed for him.