‘I almost lost her’: Survivor’s mother shares story for National Fentanyl Awareness Day

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Every year, around 2,000 Virginians die from fentanyl overdoses, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Karleen Wolanin’s daughter, Nicole was almost part of that statistic, after she overdosed on Christmas of 2023.

“She overdosed from fentanyl,” Wolanin said. “I almost lost her, I felt so alone.”

Wolanin took her pain and turned it into a helping hand, starting nonprofit Virginia Fentanyl and Substance Awareness (VFSA) to combat the growing epidemic.

“Going through all these things, I was like, I’ve got to start speaking up,” she said. “I’ve got to just slowly take a step to use my voice and talk to people and be like, ‘Look, this has to stop because I can’t feel like this anymore.'”

Since then, Wolanin said VFSA has become bigger than she could imagine.

“We are hitting the communities,” Wolanin said. “I’ve been able to speak into schools, teaching the nurses and principals about fentanyl.”

Flags will be at half-staff on Wednesday , Aug. 21 for National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

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