Anne Fundner lost her 15-year-old son, Weston, to fentanyl poisoning in 2022. Weston was a high school freshman, a kid who was loved, supported, and given every opportunity his family could provide.
But in one moment of peer pressure, he took a pill he thought was something else. It contained fentanyl, and he never woke up that February morning.
Anne has refused to let Weston’s life be reduced to a statistic. Since his death, she has spoken on some of the biggest stages in the country, testified before Congress, and fought for legislation in his name.
Now, she’s focused on a message she believes every parent needs to hear: the importance of talking to kids about peer pressure. Anne says fentanyl took her son’s life, but the avenue that led him there was peer pressure.
In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Anne shares Weston’s story, what she wishes she could have done differently, and how she’s working to prevent other families from experiencing the pain she knows all too well.
Related episodes:
- Uniting for change: A bereaved mother organizes D.C. march to combat fentanyl crisis
- The Cop Who Had to Investigate Her Own Daughter’s Death
- He Wanted Justice for His Son, So He Became the Investigator
MEET THE GUEST
Anne Fundner
Anne Fundner is a mother, advocate, and founder of the Forever Weston Foundation, created in honor of her 15-year-old son Weston, who died after taking a single counterfeit Percocet laced with fentanyl. She brought Weston’s story to a national audience when she spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2024. A former broadcaster and podcast host, her mission is to honor Weston’s memory by fighting for safer communities and a future where no parent has to experience the loss she has.
