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Parents in Downey form task force to fight against fentanyl poisoning

Local activists form task force to fight fentanyl poisoning in Downey
Local activists form task force to fight fentanyl poisoning in Downey 02:11

A group of parents and local activists in Downey are joining together to create a task force dedicated to fighting against fentanyl poisoning, a growing problem plaguing parents all across the United States. 

Andy Chavez lost his son, Andrew, earlier this year to fentanyl, and has since made it a goal of his to help raise awareness about the highly-toxic synthetic opioid in hopes of making sure nobody else has to go through what he and his family have.

He recalled morning workouts with his son, whose idol was Arnold Schwarzenegger, at Wilderness Park in Downey. Andy, an all-around athlete at Downey High School, was 19 when he died in April. 

"He became addicted very very quickly," Chavez said. "After the first pill actually."

Andy asked his parents for help on his 19th birthday, leading them to get him into a local rehab facility. He was 90 days sober before suffering a relapse, and enrollment in another facility.

Chavez said it was a cycle that continued for 11 months until it was too late. 

"He was found face down on his bed. Unresponsive. Dead"

It was the realization that there are so many parents like him, who have had to either bury their children or watch them go through fentanyl's downward spiral, that caused him to reach out to Lissette Rivera. 

Rivera, the founder of W.O.L.F., or War on Lethal Fentanyl, joined forces with other local parents who are hoping that their efforts can help raise awareness amongst the local communities they're a part of. The group, which is similar to D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), focuses on guiding parents on communicating with their children. 

"Most parents think, 'My child's addicted, I'm going to give them the hard knocks. I'm going to be hard on them,'" Rivera said. "That is no longer the case." 

The group, which refers to themselves as the Wolf Pack, says their mission is to win the war against fentanyl, which is killing children in so many communities across the nation. They offer lectures on the dangers of the fentanyl, advice on choosing the proper rehab and health care options.

"You have a community behind you. You're not alone," Chavez said. "Although may seem like nobody care and everybody's pushed you aside, people care. People love you."

W.O.L.F. can be reached via email here. 

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