. >> he deployed to faluja. he took the pills to blot out the guilt and shame of surviving. his medical records show the va knew he was an addict but continued to dole out the opiates. at tim's family home in western massachusetts, his father, mike, has built a basement shrine to his family's military legacy. >> this is my son, tim. >> reporter: he says his son's life started to spiral out of control after his best friend from the marine corps died. he encouraged him to get help at the va hospital. the doctors loaded him up on painkillers. >> that was the beginning and the end for him. >> reporter: tim was hooked and overdosed again and again. his parents kicked him out. he moved in with eric. they fed each other's addictions. when they ran out of pills they bought heroin. eventually tim realized he needed to move out. three months later his former roommate died of an overdose. today, he is living with his girlfriend. he's been clean for six months now but staying off opiates hasn't been easy. in july after a confrontation landed him in a va emergency room he was shocked wit