SAN ANTONIO – Kathy Drago said she’s trying to turn her pain into a purpose.
“There’s a hope in this tragedy, too,” Drago said. “It’s been really, really difficult. He had a long life to live.”
Drago lost her son, Cody, at the age of 28 to fentanyl poisoning just more than a year ago. Drago is just one of the angel moms, or women whose child has died due to fentanyl, who helped put on the inaugural Soles Walking 4 Souls Fentanyl Awareness Walk on Saturday.
Dozens of people packed Greenline Park to listen and learn about the dangers of fentanyl and what’s being done to find solutions at the county and state level.
“I am determined to be a voice for my son as other angel moms are here to be a voice for their kids,” Drago said. “I don’t want anybody to go through what myself and my family have had to endure and in losing my son.”
It’s the first of its kind in San Antonio for fentanyl awareness, and it’s being held in the first official Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in Texas.
Organizers wanted to make sure there were plenty of resources and a stock full of free Narcan nasal spray available for community members to walk away with.
Veronica Kaprosy, an angel mom and coordinator of the walk, said she wanted people to leave feeling empowered with education.
“Don’t think it can’t happen to you,” Kaprosy said. “It can happen to you. I don’t want another parent to go through what I’m going through. I want them to know. I want them to be proactive.”
Families were joined by county and state leaders for the walk, including Governor Greg Abbott, Texas State Representative of District 118 John Lujan and Sheriff Javier Sazalar, among others. Abbott said this conversation is long overdue and far from over.
“We all know more must be done and the state of Texas will stay engaged in this process every step of the way,” Abbott said.
And Drago said she’s doing the same.
“As long as I’m alive, I’m talking about it,” Drago said.
For ways to start the conversation about fentanyl poisoning, click here.