GEORGETOWN, Texas — Monday, Aug. 21, is Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day nationwide and here in Texas, people are getting out to educate what the powerfully fatal drug can do.
Monday was a way for families, students, law enforcement and more in Georgetown to come together in a march against the drug that has taken many Texans' and Americans' lives.
"Parents don't understand the dangers of it because we haven't lived it, but our kids have access to something that parents aren't educated on," said Stefanie Turner, the founder of Texas Against Fentanyl.
Turner is a parent who has lived it. Her 19-year-old son, Tucker, died from fentanyl and since then, she’s worked hard to create awareness and education surrounding the fatal drug.
"I was met with some resistance from our local school district, so I named it Texas Against Fentanyl so anyone who wanted to have a nonprofit could advocate for fentanyl awareness in their community," Turner said.
Her organization set up shop in Georgetown’s Square on Monday evening.
The community hosted a walk for National Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Day, urging people to march for change, rather than sit back and watch.
"Our kids are being poisoned. They're taking a half a pill and going to sleep at night and never waking up again," Turner said.
Williamson County Sheriff Mike Gleason said working with Turner's organization and others is crucial for his department's own education on how to approach the issue.
"I have Bluebonnet Trails, I have Rise Recovery. I've got all these institutions that are going to scholarship, rehab and get you well. So it's a three-point, 'You can't say no to me.' I'm either going to prosecute you, I'm going to educate you, or I'm going to let you go, but I'm going to help you somehow," Gleason said.
Gleason said the fentanyl his department is seeing is nothing but tainted.
"A pharmacy truck didn't crash, your pharmacist didn't give it to you. It's all made in somebody's garage, hotel room, trunk of their car," Gleason said.
Turner said the main reason the group does this is for the kids that are still alive and for the parents to work on talking with their children about the dangers of this drug.
She said they hope these efforts are a step to making sure no other families have to go through what hers has.