For Middleburg, it was the summer storm of the century, a snarling, swirling, hail-spitting deluge that wreaked havoc throughout the village and surrounding areas. It hit late on a wild June 16 day that also included an earlier freakish gas leak that forced the evacuation of the town office, Safeway and other nearby buildings.

At age 95, Bee Smith still stands ramrod straight, all 6 feet, 5 inches of him, works out with a personal trainer at least twice a week and remains a regular in a high-spirited, low-stakes floating monthly poker game. His memory is absolutely spot on, going all the way back to his very first recollection as a young boy.

Their stories are both harrowing and heartbreaking. Still, at the end of the day, these tales of heroin addiction and occasionally, death by overdose, also offer some hope for anyone who attends the bi-monthly Thursday evening support group meetings at the Fauquier Hospital.