Thousands walk to remember overdose victims
EDDYSTONE >> Doug Paul would be celebrating his 29th birthday today. Instead his family from Springfield remembered him with balloons and signs participating in the Overdose Awareness Day and Memorial Walk in Eddystone on Saturday. He died April 18, 2015 from an overdose.
Police estimated about 6,000 to 7,000 people walked along the streets of Eddystone to make others aware of the epidemic that plagues the entire country. The number of participants doubled from last year. Many were celebrating their own recovery in hopes to let others know that they too can overcome addiction.
Suzanne LeVeque of Folsom was creating signs before the walk with her son Elijah Reese. She was a senior in high school when she started using heroin and described herself as a full-blown heroin addict before recovery.
“I have lost a lot of people,” LeVegue said. “I have nine years in recovery. I think there is a stigma. A lot of people don’t talk about it because they are judged. It’s just a disease like any other. There is life after. I am gainfully employed. I know how lucky I am because only 10 percent of people recover. I don’t take that for granted one day in my life. When the stigma is lifted it will be easier for people to reach out for help.”
Many carried signs or wore T-shirts with pictures of loved ones. Young and old, some with canes and walkers, moms, dads, grandparents pushing strollers with babies who lost parents to opiates or heroin addiction, brothers, sisters and friends hoping that others realize that they can find help if they are addicted.
Chris Marshall is the director of Last Stop Sobriety at 2422 Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia. This was his first time at the Overdose Awareness Walk. He was having his beard painted purple by Danielle Shillington of Ridley who is in recovery and volunteered to help at the walk to give back.
“I have seen lots of people pass away,” Marshall said. “I am walking for Melissa, a good friend who was seeking something out of life, found drugs and paid the price. We have to bring awareness. It’s really a big problem: opiates, prescriptions and the new deadly drug, Carfentanil, which with two milligrams can make an elephant stop breathing.”
“Regardless of your abilities you are no good to anyone if you are not alive,” stressed Marshall.
For the friends of Chris Kelly from Ridley Township, the walk was a way to spread awareness to people.
“This isn’t a joke. It’s a disease and its killing people,” said Tracy Denk. “It takes over the person. Chris was a wonderful person.”
On the back of the shirts of the Never Surrender Hope group were 27 names of those who died from addiction. The group was started in Philadelphia by mothers who lost loved ones and decided to do something. Together they formed a group and went into the Kensington area of Philadelphia feeding and clothing young people on the streets.. At the walk, they had a group 55 people participating: some in recovery, some who lost loved ones. They now have members from all over the Delaware Valley
“Many are in their 20s. We try to get them treatment and follow them through it,” said Kathleen Wilson. “It’s amazing how many people have been touched by this. People living in the streets look forward to us coming to them.”
Councilman David White and District Attorney Jack Whalen told the crowd that they will never give up the fight to stop this epidemic vowing that it will be won.
“Never lose heart or give up on those addicted and never forget, for this walk is in their memory,“Whelan said.