PORTSMOUTH, Va. — It's a day for awareness. Communities across the state are honoring International Overdose Awareness Day, and the Biden- Harris Administration has announced more than $450,000,000 in funding to save lives.
Aug. 31 is the day when those who have lost their lives to overdoses are remembered, without stigma or shame. It is also a way to raise awareness of the drug epidemic in our country.
One mother and daughter shared their long fight against drugs with News 3.
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"We lost everything when I was a teenager, and you know, I wasn't even on drugs, and I lost everything," said Kass Carey, who spoke out on overdose awareness day.
For Portsmouth native Kass Carey, it started with her mom, and one drug that changed their entire life.
"I was prescribed percocet for back pain. I was using it as I was supposed to, and then I moved. When I moved, I wasn't able to get it anymore" said Angela Woody, who overcame drug addiction.
Once Wood couldn't get her hands on percocets anymore to relieve her back pain, her brother introduced her to heroin.
"I did that for about two years, before I saw it affecting other people so badly, that I said I have to get out now," said Woody.
International Overdose Awareness Day recognizes all those who have lost someone to an overdose. Although Wood did not overdose on heroin or percocet, she sat alongside her daughter and grieves the loss of her brother who battled drug addiction for 15 years.
"He wanted so badly to quit, but it just kept calling him back," said Wood. "He wasn't able to give it up, and ultimately he lost his life to Fentanyl, and it started off with heroin."
The mother and daughter duo said they are relieved that the Biden-Harris Administration is putting $450,000,000 toward efforts to address the opioid epidemic.
"This is something our country have been dealing with for years now, but I think any sort of prevention of opioid use, and efforts toward the recovery of opioid users, is a step in the right direction," said Carey.
While the overdose crisis seems daunting, Woody wanted to share an important message as a survivor of drug abuse.
"It's not a bad people thing, homeless, or criminal problem," said Wood. "There's plenty of good hardworking people that is effected by opioids."
According to the CDC, nearly 110,000 people died of drug overdoses in 2022, up 0.5% from the year before.
Carey and Woody know all to well about the pain of losing a loved one to drugs, and their fight to raise awareness is far from over.
