BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Two mothers are bringing attention to Kentucky’s persistent battle with opioid deaths.
Angela Parkerson and Tami Boblitt held a fentanyl prevention event in Bardstown, Kentucky on Saturday. Both women know the pain fentanyl causes all too well.
"My son Chase struggled with addiction. He had 15 months sobriety when he took a pill and died from what he believed to be a Xanax," Boblitt said.
"My son Nick didn't struggle with addiction. He split a half a pill with someone he believed to be his friend. He thought it was a Percocet, turned out to be pure fentanyl. He lost his life that day," Parkerson said.
Parkerson and Boblitt shared their stories during the event. They also heard from nearly 50 other parents bonded by trauma.
"Losing a child is debilitating so it's good for connection and to be around somebody else," Boblitt said.
Along with raising awareness for opioid poisoning, the mothers helped put a face to the issue.
"They see all the signs and all the faces, it's not what they think. That is somebody's loved one. A parent, a child, a son, a daughter," Boblitt said.
"People need to see that it's them. They are Nick,” Parkerson said. “They're the person who just goes out and hanging out with a friend, and they're like 'Hey you want to try this?' And you're like 'Sure why not?' Then, next thing you know, you're dead. So we want to reach those people that there is no voice for them. They don't know they need our help."
Moving forward, Pakerson and Boblitt plan to raise their voices in Frankfort in hopes of new legislation.
Until then, they'll continue placing their signs across the commonwealth.
"Just to reach anybody we can to let them know, hey this could happen to you. Awareness can save your life. It can't save our kids, but it can save yours," Parkerson said.
According to the 2022 Overdose Fatality Report, 2,135 Kentuckians died of an overdose last year; that is a decline of more than 5% compared to 2021 and the first decline since 2018.
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