Mothers help those struggling with addiction ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Bay Area parents who share a strong bond are getting together and making a difference ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day.

The group of local moms taking action have all lost a child to a drug overdose.

If you’re driving along M.L.K Jr. Boulevard in Tampa, you may see a billboard that catches your eye.

“The billboard is going to go up and it’s going to have our angels on there and that location is a really good location, because of the activity that I have witnessed,” said Debra Flanigan. “I believe it can help someone.”

The billboard is going up before International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31.

Every single picture that will be displayed is someone who has died due to a drug overdose, whether they knew what they were taking, or had no idea.

“Someone out there is going to be struggling with addiction and if they see us, maybe they’ll wake up and try to fight it,” Flanigan said.

All the mothers 8 On Your Side spoke with said they now carry NARCAN to help save a life.

Showneen Hall lost her son, Walter, not even a year ago. She said she wants to prevent any child from walking in her son’s shoes.

“We carry NARCAN in our car everywhere we go. I knew Walter was an addict, but I never thought it would come to this. You just don’t think it would ever be your child until it is,” said Hall. “More of our kids are being dumped on lawns and left in cars and fields, there’s no justice. I mean, there’s no justice for Walter’s death. They never found who gave him the fentanyl.”

Debra Flanigan lost her daughter Casey in April of 2023. She said this is not the first time a billboard has gone up.

“We did have a lot of people come and this one guy who said we saved his life before because he was overdosing and we had given him NARCAN,” she said.

They said it does not matter if you are an addict or not, you deserve help and they are here to give it to you.

“I’m glad there is an awareness day, because a lot of people like us, Angel moms, are out there spreading awareness to people that probably think they can’t get help or have lost hope, and just don’t care anymore, but they can be helped,” Flanigan said.

On August 31, there will be mothers passing out NARCAN and giving out resources to anyone who needs them.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.