WILLARD, Ohio — Willard City School students got a real-life lesson on Monday, a lesson that could just save their lives.
“It was really moving,“ said Caleb Ousley, Willard High School Senior.
The group Fentanyl Fathers tried to educate the students about the dangers of the potentially deadly drug fentanyl.
“I was aware of it, I know it’s bad, but I didn’t know that many people were dying from it,“ said Cameron Harmon, Willard High School Freshman.
Last year, the CDC said there were 110,000 reported drug overdose deaths and more than two-thirds involved the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
The group Fentanyl Fathers is working to educate students about the dangers of the drug with a powerful presentation from heartbroken parents.
Greg Swan joined forces with six other families whose children have died from fentanyl drug overdoses. Swan’s son Drew died ten years ago from a fentanyl-laced drug overdose.
“Now we are going directly to kids and telling them under no circumstances can you take an unprescribed pill, because six in ten has fentanyl. It will kill you dead,” said Swan.
The presentation included stories from parents whose children have died from the deadly drug — messages from broken-hearted parents to kids to not put their parents through that same heartbreak.
“I thought it was heartfelt. I mean it kind of hit a spot in me a little bit. Seeing all the stats and stuff makes me wanna not be a part of it,“ said Harry Meisner, Willard High School Freshman.
Kim Buss is a mother on a mission and part of Fentanyl Fathers.
“It’s a horrible life to live without your child,” said Buss. Her son died last July from fentanyl-laced drugs. Now she is working to stop other parents’ heartbreak by trying to reach kids in schools across the country before it’s too late. “I know he would want me to turn this into something positive,” said Buss.
According to the DEA, there is no drug that is purchased on the street that is safe. Nearly all illicit drugs are mixed with fentanyl according to police.
Fentanyl Fathers is trying to reach kids before they take a chance on a concoction that could kill them by pulling their heartstrings.
“I thought it was really good, I think it will definitely, definitely motivate people to stay away from that type of stuff for sure, “said Luke Sloane, Willard High School Freshman.
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