Picture this: 3,800 tombstones stretched out near the U.S. Capitol. Each one represents a life lost to substances— not a number, not a statistic — but a son, a daughter, a sibling, a friend.
In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, I sit down with Kimberly Douglas and Alexis Pleus, the women behind the Trail of Truth. For them, this mission is deeply personal. They’re turning their grief into action, demanding that lawmakers pay attention while hundreds of thousands of Americans die every year from alcohol and drugs. And now, even as the crisis grows, treatment and prevention programs are on the chopping block. Most importantly, you’ll hear what they believe needs to change to save lives.
You can listen to Alexis’s previous podcast episode here.
Trail of Truth – Tombstones in front of the Capitol 
Alexis Pleus 
Trail of Truth – Long Island 
Alexis Pleus 
Trail of Truth – Long Island 
Kimberly Douglas with son Bryce 
Alexis Pleus with son Jeff 
Bryce Israel Synod Jackson 
Alexis Pleus with her 3 sons 
Kimberly Douglas with daughter Indiyah and son Bryce 
Bryce, Kimberly, and Indiyah 
Alexis Pleus with son Jeff 
Kimberly Douglas’s Support Group, specifically for Black mothers who have lost children to drug overdose. 
Bryce Israel Synod Jackson
MEET THE GUEST
Alexis Pleus
Alexis is a professional engineer, artist, writer activist and mother of three sons. In 2014, she lost her oldest son Jeff to an overdose and as a result of that experience, founded Truth Pharm six months later with a focus on raising awareness, reducing stigma, educating and advocating to reduce the harms caused by substance use.
MEET THE GUEST
Kimberly Douglas
Kimberly Douglas brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit and political advocacy, working to build a more just and multiracial democracy. After losing her 17-year-old son Bryce to fentanyl poisoning in June 2023, she has dedicated herself to mental health and substance use advocacy while also focusing on healing and self-care.
