Nearly 49 million Americans, or about 17% of the population, are battling addiction, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Now, picture ten of your closest friends—nearly two of them could be quietly fighting this hidden battle. Yet, addiction often remains a silent struggle, weighed down by stigma and shame.
For years, Michele Hein kept her son’s struggle with substance use disorder private. But after Tyler’s tragic death from fentanyl poisoning, she’s speaking out to anyone who will listen. On today’s episode of Grieving Out Loud, hear Michele’s emotional plea to others navigating the same heartbreaking journey. Michele started the Fentanyl Free Communities Foundation in Minneapolis.
MEET THE GUEST
Michele Hein
Michele Hein is the founder of Fentanyl Free Communities, a foundation dedicated to raising awareness and preventing tragedies caused by fentanyl. After losing her only son, Tyler, at the age of 23 to a single fentanyl pill on July 18, 2020, Michele has turned her grief into advocacy. She is committed to helping individuals in active addiction seek help and encourages parents to educate their teens about the real dangers of fentanyl, striving to save lives and protect families from the heartache she endures every day.
