Families across New Mexico will gather this weekend for Walk for Lives events to honor loved ones lost to fentanyl and raise awareness about the ongoing crisis.
Rio Rancho Event
One of the events will take place Saturday at 4 p.m. at Haynes Community Center and Park in Rio Rancho. Organizer Kelly Opp said the event is meant to give families a place to remember those they have lost, find support and access resources.
The event will include a memorial table, a “Shoes They Left Behind” display, and a Tree of Life where people can leave names and messages. Families are also encouraged to bring photos, shoes, letters and posters to carry during the walk.
Resources available at the event will include grief support, Narcan education, mental health services, and information on rehabilitation and recovery.
Opp, who lost her son Austin in April 2020 after he unknowingly ingested fentanyl, said she wants families to understand how dangerous the drug is and how quickly it can kill.
“I believe that the most impactful thing that we can do is stand up in the face of everything, stand up and force people to look at our pain and see their faces, and hopefully it becomes a part of how you speak to your loved ones,” Opp said.
The Rio Rancho walk will go about half a city block down Highway 528. Additional Walk for Lives events will also be held in Española and Socorro.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
