[Updated] Join the Candles for Laney Movement and the Miracle Meeting, Sunday 11/6

[Note this article has been updated to honor the wishes of the family, with humility, respect, and deep apology, 11/5] This special editorial and call to action comes from the desk of Rachel Paul and Robert Bruce, Jumpsteady, in a time of grief and great change. We write this with gratitude for the platform of Faygoluvers, gratitude for the Juggalo Family, and with honor and respect for the spirit of all dearly departed Juggalos and our dearly departed Juggalo sister Laney, that her death from an accidental overdose on the eve of Hallowicked might lead us to open up a larger conversation about mental health and prescription drug abuse in our Juggalo community--a community that loved and embraced Laney, a community that is in mourning, a community that knows the epidemic of mental health and prescription drug abuse all too well. We write these words in the spirit of healing and in the spirit of Dark Carnival. Our intention is to heal and raise Laney's memory to a legacy that will touch the lives of the living and bring light. To our Beloved Juggalo Family, Grief is powerful and shockwaves of grief are felt as we mourn the loss of a person so young to mental illness and prescription drug abuse. We all could have done more. But we know everyone is on their own path. All we have is the present moment. And so we use this precious now, this present, to the best of our ability, channeling light into darkness. We call the Juggalo Family to light and share candles in memory of Laney. Share your candles through pictures on social media, in person, and with each other. We light candles in a collective vigil for a fallen member of our Juggalo Family. We ask that we light candles for Laney and keep the momentum going. Laney who was so talented and full of Clown Love. Who truly loved the Juggalo World. Laney who was an artist and creative. Laney whose inherent worth is in the essence of her being as part of the Dark Carnival. We light these candles in her honor to share light in darkness and bring light to the epidemic of mental health and prescription drug abuse. To share a photo of a candle is to stand for wellness in our world. To share a candle is to say "You are not alone" to those who struggle with drug use and mental illness, dis-ease. To share a candle is to say "Me too, I also mourn and am searching for light in the darkness." Let these candles be a symbol of our wishes for light and love to come through the darkness. That we raise awareness of that which is hidden and bring light to the dark. We call upon the Juggalo Family to burn candles for Laney, and to live out everything these candles will represent and come to represent. This is the Candles for Laney movement. Thank you for being a part of it and sharing your light in darkness. Know that seeing your flames, feeling their presence, brings comfort to the living and power to the legacy of Laney in Shangri-La. That her work is not yet done here, even as she is gone from this earth. Her presence can be felt. Her presence can be felt. And through her death she brings life and light to all who struggle. We encourage and appreciate your efforts to be a part of this and light candles for Laney. The outcome could be nothing short of a Miracle.

Burning a "Miracle" Candle in the Paul-Bruce Household.

And speaking of that word...Miracle... The plight of mental health and prescription drug abuse use affects our community as it does so many communities. We know that now more than ever as we grieve. But fortunately Juggalos are the types of people who make miracles happen. Take Juggalos in Recovery as a shining example. The Juggalos in Recovery tent made its debut as an official GOTJ event and space in the 2022 Gathering of the Juggalos program, though it ran for many years before receiving official acknowledgment from the GOTJ curators. When the Juggalos in Recovery tent was listed in the official GOTJ program this past year, it was the first time many learned about the space, located right outside the box office in the parking lot. The tent offered multiple meetings per day and crisis intervention for anyone in need at GOTJ. The response was overwhelming, and the tent was packed constantly. There was lots of work to be done and lots of miracles happening there, as recovering Juggalos sought out a place to heal and stay committed to sobriety amid the revelries. And we are so grateful for Frank, for Chris, for Tox, for everyone facilitating this space. Many might not know that the work of Juggalos in Recovery continues remotely with Zoom meetings multiple times a week. Juggalos in Recovery can be found on Facebook here.  On their Facebook, they offer links to Zoom meetings three times a week:

Mondays at 5:30pm EST Wednesdays at 8:30pm EST Fridays at 8:30pm EST

In addition, Juggalos in Recovery hosts special meetings for mourning and grief on the first Sunday of each month. That time is quickly approaching. As we call on our Family to join the Candles for Laney movement, we also encourage everyone to join Juggalos in Recovery for what they are calling a special "Miracle Meeting," Sunday November 6th from 6 to 8pm EST on Zoom. Here is the direct link, which also can be found on the Juggalos in Recovery Facebook page:

The Miracle Meeting: Sunday 11/6, 6pm to 8pm EST, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6651717177

The Juggalos in Recovery Miracle Meeting will be held in honor of Laney, and we ask that we burn Candles for Laney during that time, to raise the vibration and shine light through the darkness in collective mourning. Here is the official description and flyer for the Miracle Meeting, taken from the Juggalos in Recovery Facebook page:

Laney was a huge loss and affected so many of us in so many different ways, from her work in special effects makeup to her photography and fashion we can see ripples of her influence around the scene and she will be missed.  Juggalos In Recovery stands by our community in this trying time. We will be holding a once a month meeting [the first Sunday of each month] from now on. Starting Nov 6th, we will hold a two hour meeting to talk about grief, addiction, helping addicts, and mental health. This meeting is called the Miracles Meeting because we are all miracles.  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6651717177. "And a million stars way above 'em at night We don't have to be high to look in the sky And know that's a miracle opened wide" No matter what we deal with in our lives we have each other our community stands together.

We hope to see everyone at the Miracles Meeting on Sunday November 6th, 6pm to 8pm ET, via Zoom to celebrate the life of Laney. And we hope to see your candles burning brightly to shine light through these dark times. Thank you, Juggalo Family. Thank you for reading and for holding space. We ask that you continue to shine your light, while respecting the privacy of those closest to Laney at this tragic time. Let your light shine. Keep shining, you miracles, all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. With love and respect in the spirit of the Dark Carnival, Rob & Rachel