Thank you for just stopping for a second to read this. TY TY!!

My name is Jodie Friend and I will be hosting International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, 2025, in honor of my son, Naithan Durney, who I lost to a fentanyl overdose on December 31, 2025. Naithan was a beautiful soul, a friend to everyone, and never met a soul he let go without. He took care of people.

Dec 31, 2023, was an average workday, but we rushed home to begin cooking and start fireworks. My husband, myself, and my oldest son found Naithan blue, cold, and stiff, and I will never unsee my 24-year-old son absolutely unsavable.

The grief we felt was unbelievable. We owned a restaurant at that time that I couldn't go back to, at all. I sat staring out the window thinking I needed to be institutionalized. I almost lost my mind, and I mean this literally.

5 people died the same day Nait did in our county, and that was from the coroner herself. Every week since Naithan died, another young adult has overdosed. Fentanyl isn't the only way of overdosing; there are many ways. Just too much... and it's too late. One pill kills.

I have teamed up with Jade King and Tiffany Jones to present a county event to raise awareness in our community with organizations that fight the battle daily, including the sheriff, coroner, EMT and dispatch, the sheriff-elect 2024, and we are honoring all our deceased community children who have passed with family and friends guest speaking also. We are also building a photo board of the deceased victims.

Our need is to be able to pay for a stage rental, tents, audio equipment rental, and red ribbons to tie on EVERY single street corner and 4-way with names attached to those ribbons so they are not forgotten. Also, for the addicts struggling, the families grieving, and the drug dealers to KNOW our community is beyond okay with their lifestyles and hustles. We are becoming a crime watch area. We will be buying signs that state surveillance.

I'm estimating that it would take about $500 for the rentals we need. The other $2000.00 will be equally distributed to drug treatment centers, including The Courage Center, LRADAC, and Quiet Hearts.

Narcan will be available as well as prayer tables, several drug treatment reps, resource pamphlets, and lots of love and support for each family member that walks the stage in honor of their loved one. There are many; we have children under 10 to talk about their deceased parent, we have mothers, fathers, siblings, and friends of all ages who need community support and maybe to join us in making this day the 1st annual day recognizing addiction, death, treatment options, feelings, support, professional mentoring, free resources, and recognizing every lost victim.

Thank you so much in advance. God's will be done and maybe... we will make a difference, but without trying, nothing changes. We can make a difference in our towns and county.

Join me in this fight to save lives.