BOOTHBAY, Maine — The state of Maine faced a devastating loss last year, with a staggering 716 lives lost to overdoses, as revealed in the attorney general's end-of-year report.
Today, those lives were remembered and honored on National Overdose Awareness Day.
At an event in Boothbay, Sharon Bailey spoke about the heart-wrenching loss of her only son, Matthew Bailey, to an accidental heroin overdose in 2012.
Bailey said, "It changed my life and shattered my heart."
Matthew, just 20 years old at the time of his passing, had battled mental illness throughout his life.
Bailey shared, "He had several hospitalizations, 16 to be exact, from 8th grade to passing at 20."
The tragedy didn't stop at Matthew. His fiancée, who also struggled with substance abuse, couldn't bear the weight of the loss.
"She was so lost without him. It wasn't suicidal, but she died from a similar accidental heroin overdose," Bailey said.
In honor of National Overdose Awareness Day, Larissa Hannen organized the event in Boothbay, stressing that this issue extends beyond a single day.
Hannen highlighted, "I think it's important to acknowledge that we don't have enough support systems built into our communities, especially in Lincoln County. We're craving treatment facilities and people committed to recovery."
The event was a visual representation of the lives lost, with 716 purple flags and 716 candles. Each flag and candle signified a family struggling with grief.
Bailey underscored the need for awareness and support, stating, "You don't have support. We're trying to bring awareness to what a problem this is and to educate others to try to stop this epidemic."
Maine is being awarded $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and received $17 million in opioid settlement money, but shockingly, most of it hasn't been spent yet.
Gordon Smith, the state's director of opioid response, acknowledged, "We're just about to be able to start spending some of this money. I'd be disappointed if, by the end of the year, we were not funding some activities."
The plan is to utilize this funding for mobile treatment and recovery community centers.
The stories shared by family and friends shed light on the harsh reality of the opioid epidemic, urging society to come together to prevent further tragedies.