Coloradans whose family members died of fentanyl poisoning raise awareness with billboard

Sabrina Jankowski says her son Joseph Jankowski loved life.

"There is a quote that says legend of the mountains and the wave. And I look at that and I see my son," she said. "He lit up a room when he walked in the door."

She says he had big plans, but in 2022 her son died of fentanyl poisoning just six days after his 24th birthday. Sabrina Jankowski decided she had to do something.

"I'm a teacher, and so I knew that I need to go out and I need to spread the word, save lives," she said.

She started the Fentanyl Awareness Care Team or "FACT." She began going into schools to teach kids about the dangers of fentanyl and support people who lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning.

In 2018, Colorado saw 102 fentanyl-related deaths. In 2021, that number skyrocketed to 910 and in 2022 -- the last year data is available -- 920 Coloradans died from fentanyl poisoning or overdose, according to the DEA. Nationwide, over 107,000 people in 2022 died of fentanyl.

One of those people is Kim Osterman. Her son Max Osterman died of fentanyl poisoning when he was 18.

"To know Max was to love Max," she said.

Fentanyl poisoning, Kim Osterman says, can happen to anyone.

"These kids they're not trying to buy fentanyl. It's disguised. It's laced in every drug. And most kids go through an experimentation," she said. "You know, we've all been there. It's not good, but it's deadly now/"

Fentanyl is so prevalent in Colorado, that tragedy struck twice in the same circle. In a sad twist of irony, Sabrina Jankowski taught Kim Osterman's son Max when he was in 5th grade. So the two teamed up to honor their sons.

Saturday, they unveiled a billboard featuring their sons along Parker Road in Denver to warn drivers about the dangers of fentanyl. They say their work isn't done, they are pushing Colorado's lawmakers to help them fight this large and growing threat.

"Colorado needs a change with the laws," said Kim Osterman. "They are not prosecuting these drug dealers. They need to treat each death as a homicide, and they need to be investigated."

If you want to learn more about the danger of fentanyl in Colorado, this week a documentary called "Devastated: Colorado's Fentanyl Disaster" is premiering at locations along the front range, Kim Osterman will be sharing more of her story in that movie.