For the past few weeks, our Angela Kennecke has been working to erase the stigma around addiction, ever since her daughter Emily died from fentanyl poisoning. Wednesday Angela is spreading her story to even more people.
From middle school to high school, hundreds of students fill the school gymnasium in Willow Lake. They’re here to listen to Angela Kennecke’s story of loss.
“It just really touched base with a lot of students because it actually happened in South Dakota and South Dakota is such a small state, it happens everywhere, it could happen in your own community,” Willow Lake senior Jacob Prouty said.
“When she was talking it just really realize how much this affects not only your family but also your community,” Willow Lake sophomore Erica Juntunen said.
One of the key messages from Wednesday’s presentation — speak up.
“If you have a friend that you know is using a substance that could be laced with fentanyl, or that’s dangerous, you can not worry about being a snitch, about that person being mad at you, you have to tell somebody,” Angela Kennecke said.
“It just doesn’t hurt you, it hurts the people around you,” Prouty said.
Students are also learning the dangers of using illegal drugs.
“Every time someone chooses to use an illegal drug, they’re playing Russian roulette, because they don’t know if it’s going to kill them or not,” Kennecke said.
Because it’s something that not only affects the person doing it, but also the people around you.
“I feel like that’s a big thing about what she talked about today is that it’s ok to go get help and to go talk to someone to go get help,” Juntunen said.
If you want to learn more about Emily’s Hope, click here.