Robert “Luke” Paschal was an extraordinary person with a wide range of talents. He grew up in Pinehurst, NC, where he excelled in golf, soccer, and music. He even finished high school at Interlochen Arts Academy, where he won numerous awards for trumpet and was an accomplished pianist.
In 2010, Luke was in a near-fatal car accident that left him with a severe substance use disorder. It took his family nine months to figure out treatment options on their own because the medical community supplied little guidance. Despite his struggles, Luke remained a fighter with a favorite saying: “fall down six, get up seven.”
Luke had many years of sobriety interwoven between his surgeries and procedures. Golf became his focus and a positive addiction that gave him the needed endorphin rush to suppress his raging receptors. He even became a scratch golfer until he broke his hand in the fall of 2020.
Luke was also an entrepreneur who started a CBD oil company called Arrow Organics to give other chemically dependent people a safe way to deal with their pain. He completed his associate’s degree at Santa Monica Community College in 2021 and was enrolled in the online program at the University of Pennsylvania, where he maintained a 4.0 average. Luke’s goal was to become an attorney and help society understand the disease of addiction, stop the stigma, and create new laws and protocols for affordable recovery options.
But amidst his determined demeanor, Luke was also a compassionate champion for those in need. He was kind, loving, charming, and funny, with a personality and charisma that couldn’t be stopped. Unfortunately, Luke lost his life on August 28, 2021, due to a relapse caused by the pain of his failing back apparatus from his accident. He was a beloved son, friend, and respected member of the AA community in LA, and his legacy will be remembered forever.
Listen to Luke’s mother speak with Angela Kennecke on Grieving Out Loud.
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