COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Heather Brinker lost her son to fentanyl poisoning over two years ago.
“He had no idea what he was taking. He thought he was taking a Percocet,” Brinker said. “It took us a couple days before we found out what had happened.”
She started Connor’s Avengers after his death to spread awareness of fentanyl and one way she does that is through events like Saturday’s Fight for a Future in Columbia.
Brinker helped plan this event with William Kistner, who’s a certified peer support specialist with In2Action.
“A certified peer support specialist are people that have shared experiences with people that have already struggled with addiction,” Kistner said. “We’re starting to see how much that makes a difference. When you relate to somebody, you’re more than willing to speak to them.”
The event was all about sharing lived experiences. Over 20 speakers talked about how addiction changed their lives and how they’re doing now.
Missouri’s drug overdose deaths have been on the decline since the peak of deaths in 2022, which hit 2,180, according to the Missouri Health and Senior Services. The most recent data is from 2024, when 1,450 people lost their lives to overdose.
“It’s hard to stay sober when life is out there kicking your ass every day,” Amanda Ferguson said to the crowd in the Reentry Opportunity Center parking lot.
Ferguson is over ten years sober, and she also mentors people who are in recovery.
During her speech, she asked people to connect with each other, especially if they’re about to leave a recovery program.
“We want you to have the resources in your pocket when you leave and you go out into real life because life flies,” Ferguson said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you can call or text the 988 crisis hotline.