The grip of the fentanyl crisis has sunk its teeth deep into New Hampshire’s communities. The stories of the many lives lost to this synthetic drug are a painful reminder of its dangers. One such story is that of Tyler, a son, friend and brother who tragically fell victim to the drug’s potent power in April of 2020.
Tyler’s journey had struggles along the way and a search for comfort through self-medication at times. Rich, his loving father, had plans for a brighter future, one that involved camping trips and shared experiences with his son. Their dreams were shattered when illicit fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid, took Tyler’s life unexpectedly. Tyler was just 19 years old when his life was tragically cut short by a Percocet he had taken that was unknowingly laced with fentanyl.
According to a WMUR article by Tim Callery, Tyler returned to his family’s home after getting a tattoo and took a pill he assumed to be a Percocet, hoping to ease the pain. Tyler died in his sleep that night, the young girl who was with him woke up in the morning laying right next to him knew something was very wrong she woke Rich at 8:30am. The family could only assume that he had died from an accidental overdose. However, when his mother, Andrea, read the toxicology report, she screamed and dropped to her knees crying upon realizing fentanyl had killed her son.
“It was like I was reliving his death all over again.” She told WMUR. “Our family has been destroyed by fentanyl. Fentanyl is destroying families across the country.”
According to a different WMUR article by Tim Callery, Tyler’s parents had heard of fentanyl, they didn’t know exactly what it was, but they knew it was bad. They never imagined the deadly drug would make its way into their own safe, family home. Just a year after Tyler’s passing, his father sadly passed away due to medical issues, he suffered tremendously from PTSD from Tyler’s death that morning. Andrea believes that her husband’s passing can be attributed in part to broken heart syndrome.
The devastating impact of fentanyl extended beyond the immediate family, impacting even the life of a young girl who was sleeping next to Tyler.
This narrative serves as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences this crisis has in New Hampshire. Andrea now has a prescription for Narcan and carries it with her just in case she comes across a life that needs saving.
According to a New York Times article by Jennifer Medina, Andrea works hard to ensure that Tyler’s memory is honored. She works just as hard to do all she can to raise awareness for the dangers of illicit fentanyl, allowing Tyler’s photo to be displayed in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Washington, DC headquarters’ memorial dedicated to Americans whose lives were taken by fentanyl. Andrea attends awareness rallies, passes out Narcan to anyone who will take it, and most importantly continues to share Tyler’s story.
The risk of fentanyl looms over almost every community across the Granite State and negatively impacts people from all demographic and socio-economic backgrounds. The nature of this synthetic opioid lies not only in its high potency but also because it is regularly mixed with other drugs, often without the user’s knowledge. This tragic story of Tyler highlights the importance of addressing the root causes of addiction, creating greater awareness of the risks of self-medicating, advocating for mental health resources, and providing a safety net for those battling this harrowing epidemic.
There is no safe experience when it comes to drug use.
