Arizona Letters for governer Katie Hobbs
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Beth Joly’s Sister
Dear Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
I am an Ambassador <strong>for</strong> the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall and a Licensed Associate<br />
Substance Abuse Counselor here in <strong>Arizona</strong> working with patients suffering from substance<br />
use disorders.<br />
As a mother of two children, I’m sure you have educated your children on the dangers of<br />
drugs. The number of deaths attributed to Fentanyl continues to compile daily here in<br />
<strong>Arizona</strong> and nothing seems to be slowing it down. Innocent children have died after being<br />
exposed to this poison.<br />
I lost my youngest sister, Lindsay Nicole Adkins, to this poison. She was a mother of two<br />
children, the youngest was a year-old precious little girl. My sister was such a caring<br />
person that would do anything <strong>for</strong> anyone and just wanted to be loved and got involved with<br />
the wrong crowd. As I'm sure you know, many are powerless over addiction, and she was<br />
just not strong enough to overcome hers.<br />
Every day, I read the tragic stories of people all over the world that have lost their loved<br />
ones to this epidemic and it’s truly heartbreaking. Family members have had Memorial<br />
Plaques made of their loved one in remembrance in an attempt to bring awareness and<br />
honor them. The number of submissions just grows, daily. That being said, the DEA has a<br />
Fentanyl Memorial Wall Exhibit in Arlington, West Virginia dedicated to those lost to<br />
Fentanyl and they continue to accept new submissions despite having run out of room.<br />
They responded to my submission back in November that, “due to the overwhelming<br />
amount of submissions we are receiving, we are un<strong>for</strong>tunately slowly running out of space<br />
to put up new photos that we’ve received and then planning on how to put them up in the<br />
most efficient way.” This is why I am writing to you.<br />
We would like to have hard copies of our loved ones in a permanent location displayed here<br />
in the capital of <strong>Arizona</strong> like the DEA Fentanyl Memorial Wall Exhibit. Each of us that has<br />
lost a loved one to this poison is working tirelessly in different ways to stop this epidemic<br />
and save lives.<br />
Please help our <strong>Arizona</strong> families in honoring those lost, whether poisoned during their<br />
disease of addiction or innocently poisoned, by having a dedicated Wall. This will be a<br />
place <strong>for</strong> loved ones to visit, friends/family to honor those lost to this epidemic, and a place<br />
<strong>for</strong> others to bring their children to educate and spread awareness of the dangers of this<br />
deadly poison.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Beth Joly, State Lead<br />
Mesa, AZ<br />
(480) 343-6041<br />
Beth_J_No_1@Msn.com
Theresa Guerrero’s Son
Dear Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
I am an Ambassador <strong>for</strong> the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall and an advocate to bring<br />
awareness about illegal Fentanyl. We are losing the equivalent to an airplane load of<br />
people each day. Fentanyl is exterminating our younger generation. The age group<br />
was 18 - 45, but it seems like it is affecting children even younger. My cousin just lost<br />
his granddaughter that was only 14 years old to a fake pill that sadly, contained<br />
fentanyl.<br />
I lost my only son, Jacob Guerrero, <strong>for</strong>ever 31, to this poison. Jacob was a very<br />
outgoing and happy person. He loved to ride his road bike and play tennis. He had a<br />
wonderful spirit and would help anyone out. He was dabbling with cocaine when he<br />
sadly used cocaine on May 30, 2020, little did he know that it was poisoned with<br />
fentanyl, a weapon of mass destruction.<br />
Every day, I read the tragic stories of people all over the world that have lost their<br />
loved ones to this epidemic and it’s truly heartbreaking. Family members have had<br />
Memorial Plaques made of their loved one in remembrance and in an attempt to bring<br />
awareness and honor them. The number of submissions just grows daily. That being<br />
said, the DEA has a Fentanyl Memorial Wall Exhibit in Arlington, West Virginia<br />
dedicated to those lost to Fentanyl and they continue to accept new submissions<br />
despite having run out of room.<br />
They responded to my submission back in November that “due to the overwhelming<br />
amount of submissions we are receiving we are un<strong>for</strong>tunately slowly running out of<br />
space to put up new photos that we’ve received and then planning on how to put<br />
them up in the most efficient way”. This is why I am writing to you.<br />
We would like to have hard copies of our loved ones in a permanent location<br />
displayed here in the Capital of <strong>Arizona</strong> like the DEA Fentanyl Memorial Wall Exhibit.<br />
Each of us that has lost a loved one to this poison is working tirelessly in different<br />
ways to stop this epidemic and save lives.<br />
Please help our <strong>Arizona</strong> families by honoring those lost by installing a dedicated wall.<br />
This will be a place <strong>for</strong> loved ones to visit, friends/family to honor those lost to this<br />
epidemic, and a place <strong>for</strong> others to bring their children to educate and spread<br />
awareness of the dangers of this deadly poison.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Theresa Guerrero, State Lead<br />
773 S Saguaro Ridge Place<br />
Tucson, AZ
Robin Holliday’s Son
Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
Let me start by introducing my son, Skylar Jurgen Pope. He was my first child who<br />
was born on January 7, 1983. He was a beautiful baby boy and my first true love.<br />
Skylar was a very smart, intelligent young man and a father to two beautiful children.<br />
On January 12, 2019, five days after his 36th birthday, he made a decision that would<br />
not only change his life but all his family’s lives. He was not a drug user, but <strong>for</strong><br />
unknown reasons, he decided to buy two pills off the street. One of those pills took<br />
his life instantly. He did NOT overdose because he only took one pill that he thought<br />
was something that would calm his anxiety and PTSD. Instead, it was laced with<br />
Fentanyl, and it took his life. He did not have any idea that this ONE pill would kill<br />
him.<br />
He left all of us without any idea of what happened. As his mother, I was of course,<br />
devastated but also left wondering what the hell happened. I found out quickly that<br />
this pill was Fentanyl, and 27 nano grams was what it took to kill him. To put that in<br />
perspective, one jellybean weighs 1,100,000,000 nano grams. Yes, that is one billion,<br />
one hundred million nano grams. 27 is what it took to murder my son. I want his face<br />
and name to be a reminder, to help bring awareness and hopefully save some lives.<br />
My heart breaks every day when I see more and more young people dying of this. I<br />
am writing to you to get a place in the capital to place my son's photo and those<br />
photos of all of <strong>Arizona</strong>'s young people that are losing their lives to this horrible<br />
tragedy.<br />
Thank you<br />
Robin Holliday, State Lead<br />
Skylar Forever 36<br />
Gold Canyon, <strong>Arizona</strong>
Jerel McDonald’s Daughter
Dear Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
My name is Jerel McDonald. I lost my only daughter, Elanor Mae McDonald, last year. Ellie<br />
was 18 years old when she passed away on August 6, 2022, from Fentanyl poisoning. Ellie<br />
had one sibling, her older brother Joe, who is now left as an only child. Ellie was the light of<br />
any room. She made friends easily and delighted her friends, family, teachers and anyone<br />
she spent time with. She was a talented gymnast, horsewoman and student. She was<br />
fiercely loyal, and a lover of all animals and small children. If she saw a stray dog, nothing<br />
else could be done until we stopped and tried to rescue it. Whenever we saw a young child,<br />
her eyes would light up and she would jokingly ask if we could kidnap them. I wish you<br />
could have met her; she was the light of my life.<br />
When Ellie died, friends traveled from across the country to pay their respects and told<br />
stories of their love <strong>for</strong> her. One friend, who suffered from suicide ideation, told us that Ellie<br />
was the reason she had decided to live. She had that kind of impact on the people she met.<br />
Un<strong>for</strong>tunately, Ellie was very social and had more than the usual experimentation and<br />
fascination with drugs in her teens. She was introduced to what she thought was a<br />
prescription pill (Percocet) by a boyfriend and became hooked. It wasn’t Percocet, it was<br />
Fentanyl. We managed to save her that time and get her help. She was clean <strong>for</strong> two years,<br />
worked her butt off to graduate from high school on time and managed to get accepted to<br />
the University of <strong>Arizona</strong>. She wanted to become a therapist and help others who had<br />
experienced mental health issues and addiction. Un<strong>for</strong>tunately, whether due to stress, peer<br />
pressure or the lure of the most addictive substance on the planet, she relapsed.<br />
One horrible morning, just 10 days be<strong>for</strong>e she was to start at the U of A, her brother and<br />
mother found her in her bed, already cold. She had taken a fake Percocet and died during<br />
the night just across the hall from us. I had to receive the phone call and rush home to the<br />
worst scene any parent can imagine. Ten horrible months later, we’re still trying to put our<br />
broken lives back together.<br />
Life will never be the same <strong>for</strong> our family. My son will never be an uncle, Ellie will never get<br />
to graduate from college, get married or have children. Every day, I wake up like<br />
Groundhog Day and try to figure out how to live in a world where my daughter no longer<br />
exists. Ellie and the thousands of <strong>Arizona</strong>ns who have become victims to this horrible drug,<br />
over 2,000 last year alone, are victims of what amounts to a trans-national terrorism attack.<br />
Will you help honor the victims by putting up an <strong>Arizona</strong> Memorial Wall in their honor?<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Jerel McDonald<br />
Flagstaff, <strong>Arizona</strong>
Josephine Dunn’s Daughter
Governor Ms. <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter to you. On May 26, 2021, my beautiful<br />
and beloved daughter was poisoned by half a tablet of what she believed was<br />
Percocet, It was Fentanyl. This tablet contained 5 mg of Fentanyl and no Percocet<br />
whatsoever.<br />
Ashley was not a drug addict. She was neither suicidal nor did she want to die. She<br />
wanted to get high. Ashley left behind a heartbroken family and a beautiful 6-year-old<br />
son. Our family is devastated and will never be the same.<br />
Hence, I have made it my mission to stop Fentanyl poisonings in our state in any way<br />
possible. I hope to raise awareness and educate all about the dangers of any and all<br />
pills. Very recently, in Yavapai County, PANT recovered tablets that innocently looked<br />
like aspirin. Sadly, they were not aspirin, but pure Fentanyl.<br />
I am writing to you to ask <strong>for</strong> your help to provide a permanent location to display a<br />
Memorial Wall <strong>for</strong> all the residents of <strong>Arizona</strong> that have lost their lives to Fentanyl.<br />
The DEA Fentanyl Memorial Wall Exhibit in Arlington, West Virginia, has reached its<br />
capacity. That exhibit displays faces of Fentanyl loss from all across our nation.<br />
Please help dedicate a memorial site <strong>for</strong> our loved ones that have lost their lives to<br />
this poison. There are many that were addicts and some that were not. Either way,<br />
these faces belong to people that are loved and dearly missed. Having a memorial<br />
site will help grieving families as well as help with educational events <strong>for</strong> drug<br />
prevention, education, and awareness.<br />
Thank you kindly in advance,<br />
Josephine Dunn<br />
Ashley's Marie Dunn's Mother<br />
Forever 26<br />
Prescott, <strong>Arizona</strong>
Lisa Tyler’s Son
Dear Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
My name is Lisa Tyler and I lost my only son, Tyler James Champagne, to Fentanyl<br />
poisoning on May 10, 2022. Tyler was only 27 years old when he passed and he left<br />
behind me, his Dad and his three sisters, Kayla, Ariana and Trysten.<br />
Tyler was a light to all who met him. He had the best sense of humor and could<br />
brighten any room. He was incredibly smart and spent his whole school career acing<br />
tests while drawing fun comics with his friends. He was also an avid gamer and could<br />
beat anyone in any game- from Rock Band to MarioKart and anything in between.<br />
Tyler was the kind of person who would drop anything to help those he loved, and his<br />
family and all his friends knew that they could always count on Tyler to be there if<br />
they needed him. He was a hard worker and had just enrolled in a Pharmacy Tech<br />
program that he hoped would be a great next step <strong>for</strong> him, allowing him to boost his<br />
career in a new direction. He had so many dreams and goals. So many jokes left to<br />
crack and smiles to share.<br />
But, my son was stolen from us by someone who claimed to love him. He was lied to<br />
and that lie cost him his life. I found him lifeless in his bed on May 10. The agony a<br />
parent feels in seeing their child die be<strong>for</strong>e they do is indescribable. He was my baby,<br />
my only son and I never got the chance to say goodbye. I will never get to tell him<br />
that I love him or hear his voice again. His father and his sisters will never get that<br />
chance either. We miss him every single day and not a moment goes by that I do not<br />
wish that things were different.<br />
I am writing to you to ask you to honor Tyler’s memory and the memories of others<br />
lost to the horror that is Fentanyl. We know that Tyler’s light will remain in our hearts,<br />
and we want to shine that light <strong>for</strong> others to help make them aware of what fentanyl is<br />
taking from us.<br />
Thank you <strong>for</strong> your time,<br />
Lisa Tyler<br />
Maricopa, <strong>Arizona</strong>
Pamela J. Pearsall’s Daughter
Dear Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Pamela J. Pearsall and I am a resident of<br />
Prescott, <strong>Arizona</strong>. I write to you today with the utmost sincerity and heartfelt conviction. I am<br />
writing to express my support <strong>for</strong> the initiative to build a memorial wall to honor the memory<br />
of those who have tragically lost their lives to Fentanyl poisoning in our beloved state. It is<br />
an issue that has deeply affected our communities and calls <strong>for</strong> a poignant and lasting<br />
tribute to remember those we have lost and raise awareness about this devastating<br />
epidemic. The impact of Fentanyl-related deaths cannot be overstated.<br />
Every life lost is not just a statistic; it represents a beloved family member, a cherished<br />
friend, a promising future cut short. Each loss reverberates through our communities,<br />
leaving a profound void and a sense of collective grief. By constructing a memorial wall, we<br />
have an opportunity to create a physical space that serves as a poignant reminder of the<br />
human toll of Fentanyl poisoning.<br />
It will not only honor the lives lost, but also provide solace and com<strong>for</strong>t to the families and<br />
friends who continue to bear the weight of their absence. Furthermore, such a memorial<br />
would serve as a powerful educational tool, raising awareness about the dangers of<br />
Fentanyl and the urgent need <strong>for</strong> prevention and support services. It would foster a sense<br />
of unity and shared responsibility within our community, as we come together to confront<br />
this pressing issue head-on.<br />
As the husband of our esteemed governor, you possess a unique position of influence and<br />
the ability to advocate <strong>for</strong> meaningful change. Your support <strong>for</strong> this endeavor would carry<br />
tremendous weight and of their absence. Furthermore, such a memorial would serve as a<br />
powerful educational tool, raising awareness about the dangers of Fentanyl and the urgent<br />
need <strong>for</strong> prevention and support services. It would foster a sense of unity and shared<br />
responsibility within our community as we come together to confront this pressing issue<br />
head-on.<br />
Your support <strong>for</strong> this endeavor would carry tremendous weight and send a resounding<br />
message that <strong>Arizona</strong> stands united against the scourge of Fentanyl poisoning. I humbly<br />
request that you consider adding your voice to those who are passionate about this cause.<br />
Together, we can ensure that the memories of those we have lost are honored and that<br />
their legacy inspires positive action to combat the Fentanyl crisis.<br />
Thank you <strong>for</strong> your time and consideration. I eagerly await your response and look <strong>for</strong>ward<br />
to the possibility of working together to make this memorial wall a reality.<br />
With heartfelt gratitude,<br />
Pamela J. Pearsall<br />
Rebecca - a mother, daughter, and sister.<br />
Prescott, <strong>Arizona</strong>
Joseph & Tracy Ybarra’s Son
Honorable Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong> of <strong>Arizona</strong>,<br />
My name is Tracy Ybarra and I am the wife of a retired Marine, who served our<br />
country <strong>for</strong> 20 years. We are now residing in Yuma, <strong>Arizona</strong> where I am my son’s<br />
voice. He passed away from Fentanyl poisoning on December 28, 2021 just three<br />
days after Christmas at the age of 29. Not something we expected at all. It was 522<br />
Days or 12,528 hours ago and it completely changed our lives.<br />
We are here asking on behalf of our Angels, who are no longer here with us. The<br />
grieving parents, siblings and extended family and friends who loved our son and all<br />
the other Angels who have been poisoned the same way. Our goal is to have a<br />
Memorial wall in the state capitol of <strong>Arizona</strong>. That is to Honor our Lost loved ones in<br />
the Drug Epidemic Crisis. That is why in each State, grieving families are doing as I<br />
am, writing letters.<br />
We are encouraging you to take a stand and fight with us. We need to stop this crisis.<br />
There have been too many deaths ranging from infants to 50 plus. Drugs do not<br />
discriminate. Doesn’t matter the age, color of skin, nor your background. This is why<br />
we are reaching out with a humbling heart, in hopes that you will take us seriously.<br />
We are asking <strong>for</strong> your help in this matter. We lost our child as many others. My son<br />
did not want to die nor did any other parents’ sons and daughters. They were<br />
poisoned. They should not be <strong>for</strong>gotten.<br />
The day we found out our son passed was the most devastating day of our lives. It<br />
changed our lives from that day <strong>for</strong>th. Getting that knock on the door to in<strong>for</strong>m you<br />
that, “we are deeply sorry, to in<strong>for</strong>m you that we have some terrible in<strong>for</strong>mation. Is<br />
your son’s name Joseph A. Ybarra, II?” “ Yes, it is.” “I am deeply sorry, but we found<br />
your son deceased this morning.”<br />
Those words were the most heartbreaking words any parent could hear. They gave<br />
the rest of the in<strong>for</strong>mation needed to my husband as I went to the bedroom and wept<br />
while asking God why my son. He was such a good boy.<br />
We found out later that our son died of an overdose. The drug that was found in his<br />
system was fentanyl. The toxicology report was 28ng fentanyl. I about died myself<br />
when I saw that. He thought he was taking an oxy which on the streets it’s called, the<br />
blue pill or M30. Our son didn’t want to die. Nothing was done about his case at all.<br />
He was just an overdose number. But, to us he was our son, a human being and<br />
should have been treated as that.
Our son Joseph A. Ybarra II, born on May 20, 1992, in Cherry Pt Havelock, NC. He<br />
was very much loved by his older sister, and two younger brothers. Our handsome<br />
son Joseph, is our second eldest child and our first-born son. Our kids are close, as<br />
they were raised in that manner. Being born into a military family, we had only each<br />
other wherever we went. Joseph has the love of sports, even at a very young age. He<br />
is a lefty, and when he made contact with the ball, it was a homer. His young brothers<br />
followed in his footsteps. Our daughter was the only girl and the oldest, she was more<br />
like their second mama, to her brothers.<br />
Once in High School, he loved football and had the talent <strong>for</strong> the sport. His given Nicname<br />
“Big Papi” a big guy with a gentle soul, or as his friends referred to him, as a<br />
“Gentle Giant” He had a heart of gold, cared <strong>for</strong> and loved by so many. He would be<br />
the person that they would text or call, if they needed help or just a listening ear. He<br />
soon married. Joseph was an exceptional son, brother, nephew, cousin, grandson,<br />
and a best friend. He loved and adored his family, nieces and nephews.<br />
We miss our son, Joseph so very much. HIs nieces and nephews miss their Uncle<br />
Joseph a lot. How do you answer a five-year-old, when they ask if their Uncle Joseph<br />
is coming back from Heaven? Or why did he have to go? So many questions that I do<br />
not have the right answers to.<br />
We thank you in advance <strong>for</strong> taking the time to read all of our letters. And we hope<br />
that it has touched your heart to consider helping us all, to start a Memorial Wall i n<br />
our State Capital of <strong>Arizona</strong>, with our child’s frames, which is provided with our letter.<br />
This will be a place <strong>for</strong> family and friends to visit to honor those lost to the Drug<br />
Epidemic. Not only that but, this will be a place <strong>for</strong> others to come to educate and<br />
spread awareness of the dangers of drugs.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Joseph and Tracy Ybarra<br />
Yuma, <strong>Arizona</strong>
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Cathelin R. Frawley Walsh‘s Son
Dear Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
My name is Cathelin Rachel Frawley Walsh. I lost my firstborn and only son to<br />
Fentanyl on October 3, 2022. My son, George Arthur Walsh, IV moved to <strong>Arizona</strong> with<br />
his family in November 2021 to start over and make a better life <strong>for</strong> himself and his<br />
sons.<br />
George was a hardworking man. He was funny, loving and would do anything to help<br />
someone. He wanted so much to be a father like his dad, who was always there <strong>for</strong><br />
him and his sister. Someone who worked hard and would take his family camping or<br />
play outside with his children. George was always there <strong>for</strong> his little sister; They<br />
would talk about their relationships and other topics.<br />
The death of my son was hard on everyone, especially his sister Ashley. My son was<br />
no saint, he got into trouble, kept company with the wrong people and started using.<br />
When he was in jail in <strong>Arizona</strong>, he got clean and was returning as his old self. He<br />
would call me every Monday while he was in jail and when he got out, we would talk<br />
2-3 times a day on the phone. Every morning, I would wake up to his text, “Good<br />
morning, Mommy, I love you, have a great day!”<br />
George was very open with his addiction and how he was struggling. He told his<br />
probation officer about it. David was able to get him into an inpatient rehab, once they<br />
got the insurance correct that the rehab required. George was supposed to stay there<br />
<strong>for</strong> 90 days, but after 30 days, the facility kicked him out. They told him that the<br />
insurance wasn’t going to pay them and that he was a liability to them.<br />
He was kicked out on September 19, 2022, with no place to go and no ride back to<br />
Casa Grande. George had to call his probation officer Tuesday morning and in<strong>for</strong>m<br />
him of what happened. The facility didn’t even call David to report it to him, and when<br />
he called them, they told him the state insurance wasn’t going to pay <strong>for</strong> George to be<br />
in there.<br />
George had to look <strong>for</strong> a clean and sober living house there in Apache Junction. He<br />
was able to find one and got in on September 21, 2022. There, they were helping him<br />
to stay clean and get his life back on track. This place was able to get him a job at<br />
Coreslab working nights and making enough money to pay <strong>for</strong> his rent there and get<br />
what he needed.
Like I said, George was very open about his addiction to Fentanyl and, un<strong>for</strong>tunately,<br />
he told the wrong person. His name is Jason Mauricio, Jr. who goes by the nickname<br />
“Omar”. He worked at Coreslab, as well. I found out when I was able to get into my<br />
son’s phone and find the text messages between him and Omar. My sister-in-law was<br />
able to find out a lot about this person by his phone number. She called the sheriff’s<br />
department and talked with Detective Hailey about George and his death. I turned in<br />
his phone with the evidence. When I got home, I found two more blues (Fentanyl) in<br />
his wallet, I also turned that in as evidence. Un<strong>for</strong>tunately, the prosecutor doesn’t feel<br />
that there is enough evidence to go after Omar, so it looks like nothing will be done to<br />
bring my son's killer to justice.<br />
My son didn’t deserve to die and he sure as hell didn’t want to die. He knew I was<br />
coming to <strong>Arizona</strong> to visit my father. We had planned to spend the weekend together<br />
October 22-24 at my dad's.<br />
I am asking Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong> to honor my 29-year-old son at the capital with a<br />
Fentanyl wall like the DEA has. Perhaps, the wall can be installed in <strong>Arizona</strong> <strong>for</strong> the<br />
families that have had a loved one die from this dangerous drug.<br />
If others see this Memorial Wall, maybe those who are struggling will be inspired to<br />
seek the help that they need. Maybe rehabilitation centers will not turn people away<br />
because of insurance issues and treat those who want and need help to fight this<br />
demon. Fentanyl has taken so many away from their loved ones. It is time that we<br />
stand together in this fight.<br />
Thank you <strong>for</strong> your consideration.<br />
Best regards,<br />
Cathelin R. Frawley Walsh<br />
Easton, Washington<br />
George passed away in Apache Junction, <strong>Arizona</strong>
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Lisa Teresi’s Son
Governor <strong>Hobbs</strong>,<br />
My name is Lisa Teresi, the grieving mother of Anthony Batres. My son was 29 years old<br />
when he passed away from Fentanyl poisoning.<br />
On the morning of January 16, 2023 at approximately 6:30 a.m., my daughter, Nicole, found<br />
her brother on the living room floor with a bag of 10+ fentanyl pills with a mesh strainer next<br />
to him. She called out to me, “I’m sorry, Mama!” over and over while shaking him. Nicole<br />
ran to me and said, “Anthony’s not waking up, Mom!” and showed me the bag of pills.<br />
I ran downstairs and checked <strong>for</strong> a pulse and felt nothing. During this time, his two other<br />
sisters, Kaitlyn and Ashley, ran down. I told Nicole to call 911 and hand me the phone. I<br />
thought we should put him in a cold shower, so his sisters tried to pick him up, but the 911<br />
operator advised against that and said to pour a glass of cold water on his head.<br />
I will never <strong>for</strong>get watching the blood move across his face as we rolled him on his back to<br />
start chest compressions. Nicole started and when she got tired, Ashley would jump in.<br />
Ashley remembered that we had Narcan upstairs. Kaitlyn took over as Ashley got the<br />
Narcan. Nicole took over as Ashley administered the Narcan.<br />
It felt like hours went by and it seemed like everything moved in slow motion. The<br />
paramedics and police arrived within 6 - 8 minutes. The paramedics attached a chest<br />
compression device that his hands were velcroed to and they administered two doses of<br />
Narcan. He was still unresponsive at that point.<br />
The paramedics put him in the ambulance and took him to Exceptional Hospital in<br />
Maricopa. The doctor and nurses there worked on him <strong>for</strong> at least 45 minutes to an hour<br />
administering six additional Narcan shots, when they finally got vitals on him. He was put on<br />
life support immediately.<br />
When my husband and I arrived at the ER, we were called back to speak with the doctor,<br />
and he explained how hard they fought <strong>for</strong> him and how much Narcan they gave him. I<br />
asked the doctor, “He’s brain dead, isn’t he?” “He came in dead, didn’t he?” The doctor<br />
explained to me that his brain was without oxygen <strong>for</strong> a very long time and that when he<br />
arrived, he showed no vitals, so the chances of him surviving without being on life support<br />
were less than one percent.<br />
I went back to see him, and I will never be able to remove that image from my mind. He<br />
was lying there with a tube down his throat, hooked up to all kinds of machines and the<br />
beeping sound they made. I hugged him and laid on his chest and cried and
screamed out in such heartbreaking agony. My son was dead. I stroked his hair and kissed<br />
his beautiful face. I told him, “I hope you are finally at peace, son. I love you more than<br />
you’ll ever know. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you. I’m so sorry, Papi!”<br />
My baby boy was gone! I felt so helpless and empty inside. The hospital was trying to get<br />
him a life flight to Banner Estrella Hospital but, on that day the weather was so bad that<br />
they couldn’t get in the air, so they arranged <strong>for</strong> ground transportation. While on the way to<br />
Banner Estrella, Anthony went into cardiac arrest twice in the ambulance. We arrived at<br />
Banner Estrella shortly after receiving notification that they had him in room, #. My family<br />
and I arrived and were escorted to a private waiting room where we waited <strong>for</strong> his cousin,<br />
Caden, and sister, Tia. We were told that only two people at a time could go in and say their<br />
goodbyes so we took turns and facetimed his grandparents, cousins, friends, stepfather<br />
and his uncle, so they could also say their peace and goodbyes to him.<br />
I was the last to go in with my husband. I laid on his chest and just cried. Holding him and<br />
telling him, “I love you. I really am going to miss you. Your kooky laugh, the way he would<br />
mess with his sisters, and they would scream at him, how he would leave the kitchen<br />
cabinets open at night, so I would see them in the morning and call out, “Anthony<br />
Christopher!” and he would just snicker in his room. And, most of all, how our future<br />
memories and photos would no longer include him.<br />
He was cold and that’s when they explained to me that he was an organ donor and that<br />
they had to keep his body temperature low to preserve his organs while everything gets<br />
prepped <strong>for</strong> them to be able to remove what they could. His kidneys were donated to two<br />
gentlemen from <strong>Arizona</strong>. He gave someone the gift of sight, all of his skin went to various<br />
burn victims and, finally, his liver and pancreas were donated to science.<br />
Anthony took his last breath on January 17, 2023 at 12:23 a.m.. The Donor Network told<br />
me that he did a great job and that I should be very proud of all the good he was going to<br />
do. That's the positive that Fentanyl poisoning did to my family. He lost his life while saving<br />
many more.<br />
We will never be the same. My daughter, Nicole, goes downstairs every morning and says,<br />
“I love you, Squishy” and then comes back up. Please honor our loved ones with respect<br />
and dignity by building the Drug Epidemic Wall. Fighting against drugs is a war on our soil<br />
and they deserve a wall displaying their faces.<br />
Thank you,<br />
Lisa Teresi<br />
Maricopa, <strong>Arizona</strong>
<strong>Arizona</strong> Photo Scrolling Wall:<br />
az.drugepidemicmemorial.org<br />
National Teen Scrolling Wall Of Photos:<br />
https://wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org/photos/teens<br />
National Scrolling Wall Of Photos:<br />
https://wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org/photos<br />
National Scrolling Wall Of Names:<br />
https://wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org/
Awareness<br />
Campaigns<br />
School And Community Prevention Tools<br />
I AM A FORCE FOR CHANGE - SCHOOL/COMMUNITY<br />
PREVENTION TOOLS<br />
Manual For Advocates<br />
I AM A FORCE CHNAGE- PREVENTION MANUAL FOR ADVOCATES<br />
Please feel free to share <strong>for</strong> awareness, prevention and memorials.<br />
To be included on the Memorial Walls go to:<br />
wall.drugepidemicmemorial.org
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