It was an honor to be invited by the director of the Campus & Community Children’s Center. With approximately 35 employees present, I found that the staff was intrigued and interested in the facts and results we spoke about.

There were several questions and concerns voiced during the presentation. With the topic at hand, the staff realized how close to home this pandemic truly is. It affects our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and so many more individuals.

I mentioned how fentanyl is an extremely deadly drug, it is so much worse when added to heroin and several other opioids. Recently, carfentanil has reached the adicts. This drug is 100 times more deadly than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine.

Many believe that Narcan will revive an addict from fentanyl and heroin. The truth is that it can reverse an overdose from opioids — including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications — only when given in time.

Zachary Whitcher

I recall a specific time that my son, Justin Matteson, told me that he feels like Superman because he knows he will be revived from an overdose, so it’s no big deal. He had overdosed a couple times while residing at the Buffalo City Mission. Each time was successful, until the last overdose.

I had to see “Superman” lying lifeless on his living room floor and non-responsive. Justin died Jan. 5, 2019. I guess this Narcan is not always dependable. Is it?

The new carfentanil is so potent that there is no Narcan or any other antidote available to save a life. One may ask, “Why would someone take such a powerful drug, knowing it will kill them?”

Let me explain.

If you are a car enthusiast and you like speed, you may build your car up with 525 horsepower, a turbo, faster gears and in some cases, a roll bar. With that said, the driver feels safe and cool that they have it all figured out. Guess what? Read your newspaper and watch the news, you will see that it didn’t turn out that way for the driver.

The addiction to this power drug is no different. The addicts look for the more intense and powerful high. It’s a rush and a challenge to survive the level of high.

They tell their friends of this awesome high and now they are challenged with the challenge. The drug dealer is pleased to sell to each of the addicts with no hesitation.

As a matter of fact, we may wonder what kind of businessmen the drug dealers are? They don’t care because they constantly have new clients and think nothing of it. They are murderers.

You will see a photo of my son, Justin Matteson, and our board member’s son, Zachary Whitcher. Both died from an overdose. The sad part is that they were both successful in life.

They both were very loving and compassionate to their family and friends. Nothing will bring our children back. They are gone forever. But their legacy goes on. We as parents, learn to adapt and recover. (Not the plan from the beginning of parenthood.)

Cope Foundation 19 is a non-profit that helps children ages 3 through high school graduation. We help the children realize that their parents’ way of life does not determine their own outcome. We help each child with proper child counselors, group activities, and enroll them in a sport activity of their choice.

Please view our website at www.copefoundation19.com for more information. If you know of a child in need of our services, feel free to contact us immediately. We can help.

Email cope.foundation19@gmail.com or call 716-680-1121.