Montville — Zachary Paul-Allen Greenough was born in New London in 1987, but he didn't stay there long.

At age 4, he moved in with his aunt and uncle in Uncasville, where his seriously ill father, Paul, would live only a couple of months.

His mom had been out of the picture since he was less than 2, but Greenough found new parents in Debra and Gary Rizzuto — that is, until Gary died, too, when Greenough was 6.

"He struggled with missing his father — he always did," said his aunt, who has since remarried and now carries the surname Hvarre. "He didn't like being told not to do something."

When Greenough decided in 2009 to join the U.S. Army and head to basic training in Oklahoma, Hvarre and Ken, her husband of almost 16 years, were elated.

"We were so proud of him," she said. "We flew out when he graduated."

Next for Greenough, it was onward to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, where he began studying to become a medic.

But that plan derailed when a Texas doctor nicked Greenough's intestine during surgery to fix two hernias.

"I never realized how much this addiction to pain pills leads to heroin until recently," Hvarre said. "That's what I think happened with Zachary."

On Dec. 22, Greenough was found dead in a public bathroom at the West Haven Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This week, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James R. Gill ruled accidental heroin intoxication as the cause of death.

"I don't think you can do drugs and go through basic training," Hvarre said, as she began the story of the last seven years. "To me, he was drug-free at that point."

Within six or seven months of that fateful Nov. 2, 2009, surgery, Greenough was honorably discharged for medical reasons, having never served a tour overseas.

He went to California to join his fiancée, Hvarre said, but at some point the relationship ended.

"I did not know this until he died," Hvarre said, "but I texted her to let her know about his death, and she asked me, she said, 'Was it pain pills?' She said, 'Pain pills are what broke us up.'"

Hvarre said that after his discharge, she'd hear from Greenough occasionally. She gleaned enough to know he spent some time in Massachusetts and a couple of years in Vermont.

She knew he'd been admitted to VA medical centers in each of those places, too, but she didn't know why. Then, sometime in early 2013, Greenough cut off contact altogether, save for some Christmas presents he sent one year.

"He wasn't mad at us or anything, you know, we didn't fight," she said. Sure, he got in trouble from time to time, she added. He may have smoked some marijuana — she couldn't be sure. Records show a couple of minor run-ins with local police between 2005 and 2006.

But in a lot of ways, she said, she shared more in common with Greenough than with her own daughter.

"He loved to do stuff, to be outside. Even shoveling snow — we could find fun in that. Really," Hvarre said, laughing. "He was my son. Since he died, I have had a hard time. Legally, I'm the aunt. In my mind, I'm the mom."

Thinking out loud, she tried to figure out why he never confided in her, or, moreover, asked for help.

"I can't explain it very well. It's like when you know you're doing something wrong, and you don't want to see your parents because they'll know, too," she said.

Then, in mid-2015, Greenough did reach out. He came clean about everything and asked to live with them so he could go to the West Haven VA medical facility. They welcomed him home.

"We really, sincerely believed he wanted to get away and stop," she said.

Death under investigation 

In July, Hvarre said, Greenough was grateful. By November, he had stopped following their rules. Sometimes, he'd stay out all night. Ultimately, the Hvarres couldn't do it anymore.

"We really gave him very, very many chances," she said.

Hvarre said she doesn't know exactly what program Greenough was participating in at West Haven, but she got the same details put out to the media: He was in a residential treatment program where he was free to leave during the day.

In their news release, hospital officials said criminal investigators with the national VA Office of the Inspector General were looking into Greenough's death. They said West Haven police were investigating, too, as was the hospital's Patient Safety program.

Officials said VA police routinely search inpatient areas for illegal substances.

"Please know that we are cooperating fully with the agencies investigating this untimely death and will continue to work to ensure that all patients receiving care at VA Connecticut do so in a safe environment," the release said.

Hvarre said she's under the impression that Greenough's body was in the bathroom for several hours before it was discovered, and she's looking for answers as to why. She had planned to head to the West Haven branch Friday to meet with officials, she said, but the weather didn't allow it.

"I want to hear what they have to say," she said. "It's not going to change anything. But maybe they're going to change procedures."

Of the doctor in Texas, she said, he'll probably never nick another intestine.

"I didn't scream and holler or anything," she said of her reaction to the doctor's phone call and his explanation of the surgery. "People make mistakes — even doctors. Me yelling is not going to change what happened."

Still, part of Hvarre wonders how things could have been different.

"In my mind, I'm thinking joining the Army was his really good goal," Hvarre said. "He was really working hard at it. And then the surgery happened."

l.boyle@theday.com

Twitter: @LindsayABoyle