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Austin Christopher
Paul Deno
Honoring One Fight, For Many
Meet The Team
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Austin Christopher
Paul Deno
Honoring One Fight, For Many
Beth & Art Deno
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Beth Deno was born and raised in St. Louis. A Lindbergh graduate, she received her BS In Political Science from Webster University and was later offered a position in Washington D.C. in the U.S. Congress. She later met and married her husband of over 25 years, Art.
Art and Beth went on to have three wonderful children: Arthur III (25), Sabrina (24), and forever-19 Austin, who was lost to an accidental overdose in 2016. Together, Art and Beth are fulfilling Austin's mission: to help those who are fighting this horrible epidemic: addiction. Austin believed that everyone should have a second chance in life. So now, we are working to provide those second chances to others before it's too late. By honoring one: Austin Christopher Paul Deno, Austin's Army is fighting for many! If we can save one life, we have made a difference.
Austin Deno
Austin Deno spent his all too short life in St Louis. He attended Lindbergh schools, and though he did not graduate with his class, he obtained his GED in 2014 and enrolled at St. Louis Community College at Meramec. Austin was involved in the community and helping others, Unfortunately, Austin lost his battle with addiction and passed away from an accidental overdose in 2016. But his dream to help others get a second chance in life and to speak out about addiction did not die with him. We Live through Austin by honoring him and fighting for others. Austin's Army is about saving a life!
Jamie Richey
My name is James Edward Richey III, better known as Jamie. I am 30 years old and a native of Tupelo, MS. I am the proud father of two boys. I began to experiment with drugs and alcohol as a younger teen, but after the sudden, traumatic death of my father when I was 18 years old, I dove deeply into the world of drugs and alcohol to numb my emotional trauma. I quickly found myself both physically and psychologically addicted to multiple substances. Unable to continue my education, hold a steady job, or even remotely function as a productive member of society, I entered a major depression from which I thought suicide to be the only way out. After reaching rock bottom, I shot myself in the chest with a large caliber hunting rifle. Although I survived the suicide attempt, I was left permanently crippled with limited use of my arm. I then entered into a dual diagnosis drug and alcohol treatment facility where I learned the tools necessary to climb out of the pit of darkness I had found myself in. Through therapy and a support system of family and new-found friends in recovery I turned my life around. Clean from drugs and alcohol I vowed to devote my life to those still suffering from addiction and mental illness. Today I am proud to be a Business Development representative for Extra Mile Recovery, where my job aligns with my passion of reaching out to those struggling with these issues and guiding them to the proper treatment. I offer to share my story in hopes of connecting with someone on a personal level to show them that there is a way out of addiction and metal illness. If I can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I will do everything in my power to help the addict still struggling and the families who are affected by this disease.
We are Shannon & Michelle Gregory. We lost our son to an accidental overdose in September 2016 at the age of 22. It was the worst day of our lives. Stephen was caring, kind, sensitive, & smart. Stephen’s addiction began when he got his wisdom teeth pulled in 2015. He is one of the 92% whose addiction began through the use of prescription medication. Shannon has worked as a police officer for 23 years. For the past 3 years, he has worked for Pagedale Police Department North Saint Louis County where he currently holds the title of Sergeant. On a daily basis, Shannon deals with the Opioid Epidemic firsthand. Since the loss of Stephen, I do not work outside the home. The grieving never gets easier, but I am committed to helping families fight for their loved ones against this terrible disease. We were introduced to Art & Beth in 2017 where we learned about their non- profit organization, ACPD. Once we learned about their mission, we were pleased to be a part of this amazing organization & what they stand for.
Sada Lindsey
Sada currently works as a Grants Manager at the Lutheran Foundation. She enjoys volunteering as a Girl Scout Troop Leader, with Junior League of St. Louis (recently as Fund Development Lead), and has held Board positions with Metropolitan Volunteer Management Association (as President), STL AmeriCorps Alums (as Community Service Coordinator), and Mississippi State Alums of St. Louis (as VP of Community Service and Social Activities). As an AmeriCorps member (2001-2003), Sada developed tutoring and mentoring programs while developing relationships with schools, students (elementary, secondary and college), school administrators, and parents. Sada's past professional experience includes working with Grace Hill Head Start as Volunteer Coordinator, Boys Hope Girls Hope as AmeriCorps Programs Coordinator, and Circle of Concern as Operations Director. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in History with a certificate in Women's Studies from Mississippi State University and a Master's Degree in Non-Profit Administration from Lindenwood University.
Special Thanks
ACPD, would like to take this time to give special thanks to everyone who helped and contributed to making Austen's Army a fabulous success!