OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY: Remember those who died

Aug. 30—TRAVERSE CITY — The Overdose Awareness Day Ceremony in Traverse City was started by three women who each had a child die as the result of an overdose.

"I lost my daughter to an opioid overdose in 2017," said Nancy Dow. "It was our way of helping to honor our children and help others who have lost a loved one."

This is the fifth year the event has taken place, mirroring what is an internationally recognized day. It takes place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Walled Garden, 1490 Red Drive, in The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, where it has always been held.

Free Narcan kits will be given away, and items for infants will be accepted and donated to people in the local recovery community.

There will be live music, recovery speakers, lighting of candles and a remembrance walk to honor those who've died as the result of an overdose. The event also offers hope to those who may be struggling with addiction and need help.

Event co-founder Diane Goodyear lost her son, J.R., in 2017 after a 15-year battle with addiction. He was 28.

"I do it to honor him," Goodyear said. "I think of him every single day."

J.R.'s addiction began when he was a teenager and involved in motocross racing, Goodyear said. A broken ankle and collarbone from separate accidents led to J.R. being prescribed prescription opioids and when the doctors stopped doling them out, he turned to street drugs, she said.

"He was in and out of rehab and he had several good periods of recovery," Goodyear said. "Ultimately, he passed away from a heroin overdose."

Goodyear met Dow and co-founder Anne Grizzel at Michael's Place, which holds support groups for grieving children, adults and families.

The mobile unit owned by Addiction Treatment Services will be at the event with people on hand to talk to. The unit travels to specific locations around the northern region offering treatment to those in need. There will also be a shared resource table with information from several organizations.

Dow, a family support coordinator for ATS, said the agency helps by funding the annual event, though does not sponsor it.

Dow's daughter, Dana, was 32 when she died of an overdose of prescription opioids. Starting when she had a kidney infection, what followed was 12 years of addiction and recovery, back and forth, she said.

"This is how I get through my grief, by honoring her and helping others," Dow said. "I'm her voice to help others. There's so much stigma attached to addiction and we want to break that."

Goodyear said the event is also a way to connect with other people who've been or are going through the same thing, saying she was lost when her son died and didn't know where to turn.

When people come to the event they know they are not alone, Dow said.

Dow said there's so much work to be done, that there's hardly a family out there who hasn't been touched in some way by the disease.

She said the most important message she wants people to leave the event with is this: "You can always reach out for help."