NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., (WFLA) — A bunch of moms is continuous the combat in opposition to fentanyl by placing up vacation billboards alongside US 19 in New Port Richey to attempt to increase consciousness.
The combat in opposition to the illicit drug is year-round and moms 8 On Your Aspect spoke with mentioned the ache will get worse in the course of the vacation season. So they’re doing all they will to forestall one other household from experiencing this tragedy.
Once you lose a toddler, it is an unthinkable loss.
“Having a lifeless little one ruins your life, it ruins each vacation,” Andrea Lee mentioned. “You get up each morning and the very first thing you bear in mind is that your little one is lifeless.”
Lee misplaced her daughter, Amanda, in October 2020.
Tammy Plakstis misplaced her son, Dylan, in December 2020.
Each Amanda and Dylan misplaced their lives to fentanyl and their moms proceed to really feel the loss.
“They don’t seem to be going to be residence for the vacations and present how impactful that’s,” Plakstis mentioned. “As a result of folks actually really feel the ache extra on the vacations once they have that vacant chair at their desk as a result of their beloved one is just not right here anymore.”
New billboards have been put up alongside US 19. The billboards and indicators are referred to as Dylan’s Warriors.
The message: They won’t be residence for Christmas and fentanyl destroys the vacations.
“If I can get something out of Dylan’s demise, it helped me be a greater individual, if that makes any sense,” Plakstis mentioned. “Like I really feel like that is what my objective is now, doing issues in his title and assist save lives.”
These mothers work to boost consciousness, begin conversations, move out NARCAN, and finish the stigma year-round.
“You could have two mothers right here, two completely totally different experiences with their little one being poisoned by Fentanyl, however nonetheless, the top end result is similar,” Lee mentioned. “This 12 months, we’ll each be lacking our little one.”
As we enter a brand new 12 months, the moms need anybody else that’s grieving to know they’re right here.
“We grow to be extra of a assist to them, like the identical means we had different dad and mom embrace us, we embrace the brand new dad and mom which can be simply going by means of this for the primary time,” Plakstis mentioned.
“It is all about serving to, sharing, love, and we need to assist save your little one,” Lee added.
The billboards will likely be up till Dec. 29, 2024. In case you or somebody you already know is battling dependancy, listed here are an inventory of assets:
