A SURF-LOVING young couple who planned to travel the world together died hugging each other in bed after a double drug overdose. Michelle Avila, 23, was found dead in her childhood bed a month before her birthday alongside boyfriend Christian Kent, 20, "like Romeo and Juliet".The pair, from Newport Beach in Orange County, California, had been at a party at a friend's house the night before their death.
Michelle's parents, Paulo and Adriana Avila revealed they “weren’t drinking much” because they were sick with a cold and had been taking antibiotics. The couple came home around 12.30am and Michelle even laid out her clothes for her 6am shift a Newport Beach coffee shop where she worked. But, tragically they were found dead the next day and despite toxicology reports taking months to be completed, her family believe they died from a drugs overdose. Michelle’s dad Paulo said: “Two beautiful kids. It was like Romeo and Juliet.“They both died and they were hugging each other.”Paulo and Adriana relocated Michelle and her sister to Newport Beach when they were young, thinking the area would be a safer place for their girls than Los Angeles. Michelle was a straight-A student with ambitions to be a journalist, and she had even received a letter from President George W Bush to commend her achievements. The 23-year-old was also a part-time model and had spent the last few years travelling across Bali, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Japan, and Brazil. Christian was a Newport Beach native and seasoned surfer and they had planned to transfer to California State University in Long Beach together after the Spring. Michelle and Christian had fallen in love quickly after meeting at the coffee shop where she worked before he moved to San Diego to continue his studies. Michelle wrote in a loving tribute to her boyfriend on Instagram in August: "Today I had to say goodbye for now, to my best friend and partner in crime.""I remember the day you came into my work, smiled at me with those eyes and asked me for my number. You found me at just the right time, and life has been one hell of a ride since!"It's crazy how two souls can connect so deeply and quickly. You are so special and smart and gonna kill it at university".The Orange County Health Agency published a report that revealed there has been an 88 per cent rise in drug overdose deaths between 2000 and 2015.Michelle's friends have since started a GoFundMe campaign that Paulo hopes to use to open a program that educates young people about drug use.Paulo said: "My mission is to send a message, to show how beautiful people can go through something like that. You're protected by nothing. You're supposed to care for what God gave you, and she was God's gift."That's what's eating me, from inside out. How come I failed? It just destroys me."Paulo added: "Parents need to know their kids are not safe. This is the proof that what looks perfect, is not perfect."