Local family brings attention to drug addiction stigma

One Colorado family uses their voice to try to fight the stigma that often comes with drug addiction, after losing a loved one during the pandemic to drug addiction.

IN THE WAKE OF A RECORD BREAKINGYEAR OF OVERDOSE DEATHS ACSSROTHE COUNTRY...WE'RE SHARING THE STORY OF ONECOLORADO FAMILY...USING THEIR VOICE -- TO SHATTERTHE STIGMA SURROUNDINGADDICTION.COLETTE BORDEL IONS LIVE ATCOLORADO SPRINGS CITY HALL...WHERE FAMILIES WILL GATHERTOMORROW IN HONOR OF"INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSEAWARENESS DAY"...COLETTE?TOMORROW IS A CHANCE TO REMEERMBTHOSE WE'VE LOST -- AND GIVE ASPACE FOR THE GRIEF...THAT T'SOUCHED NEARLY EVERY ONEOF OUR LIVES.A FRONT RANGE FAMILY I TALKEDWITH...BELIEVES THEY WOULD STILL HAVETHEIR LOVED ONE -- IF THEPANDEMIC, HAD NEVER HAPPENED.OK RQUPDATE LOWER THIRDSNATS: SOFT CRICKET..S.I USUALLY COME ONCE A WEEK ANDPUT FLOWERS OUTTRACK: STORIES FROM BEYONDHE TGRAVE...SOT: "2020 I WOULD SAY WASDEVASTATING FOR US." TRACK:STICK WITH THE LIVG.INSOT: "SOMEONE WHO STRUGGLES WITHSUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, WHENTHEY DIE, THEY DON'T GET ACHANCE TEVO MERAKE A DECISIONTO GET HELP."TRACK: LEON WITTNER'S OLDESTDAUGHTER, SARA, BATTLED OPIOIDADDICTION FOR YEARS -- AND HADBEEN IN RECOVERY FOR A WHILE...SOT: "SARA GRADUATED FROMCOLLEGE.SHE HAD AN AMAZING JOB.SHE WAS DRIVING A BRAND NEW R CASHE BOUGHT SIX MONTHS BEFORE.SHE HAD AN APARTMENT, AND LIFEWAS GREAT.SHE WAS GOING TO GET MARRI IEDNA COUPLE OF MONTHS, ANDSUBSTANCE USE TOOK HER DOW" N.TRACK: STEALING A DAUGHTER...AND SISTER...FROM THE FAMILY...SOT: "NOTHING MATTERS AS MUCASHTHE DRUGS, WHEN SOMEONE IS INACTIVE ADDICTION.AND THAT IS SO HARD AS A FAMY ILMEMBER TO COME TO TERMS WITH."TRACK: THE PANDEMIC -- TAKINGAWAY THE SUPPORT SARA NEEDED --LIKE MEETINGS -- AND A PLACEWHERE SHE COULD HELP OTHERS.SOT: "IF 2020 HADN'T HAVEHAPPENED WITH COVID, WE'D STILLBE SITTING HERE WITH SARATODAY."TRACK: IT WAS APRIL 16TH, LASTYEAR.SOT: "IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A FEAR OFMINE THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE TOFINDHER IF SOMETHING BAD DID HAPPEN.SO THEN I WENT AND I TEXTED HER,DI'TDN GET A RESPONSE.CALLED HER, NO ANSWER.KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, NO ANSWER.SO I KNEW AS SOON AS I OPENEDTHE DOOR, THAT I WOULD FINDHER."TRACK: SARA...BECOMING ONE OF MORE THAN93-THOUSAND AMERICANS WHO DIEDFROM AN OVERDOSE IN 2020.SOT: "THAT IS MORE THAN A FULLYLOADED 737 CRASHING EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR.NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THATWAY, WE WOULD BE COMPLETELY UPIN ARMS LOSING THAT MANY PEOPLEEVERY DAY TO ALMT ANOSYTHINGELSE."TRACK: AND FOR THE WITTNERS...THE GRIEF, DIDN'T STOP AFTERSARA'S DEATH.

..WITH LEON'S BELOVED WIFE GINA...PASSING AWAY FROM CANCER JUST AFEW MONTHS AGO.SOT: AND SHE WANTED MTOE AKSURETHAT SHE DIDN'T MAKE GRACE AND IHAVE TO MOURN HER DEATH SO SOONAFTER SARA'S." TRACK: A FAMILY,PULLING TOGETHER, THROUGH THEPAIN...SOT: "SARA WOULD BE REALLY PUDROOF US, HONESTLY.TRACK: AND MAKING SURE THEMEMORIES -- LEAVE BEHIND ALEGACY.

..SOT: "THERE'S NO REASON YOUSHOULD FEEL ASHAMED TO HAVESOMEBODY THAT YOU LOVE WHOS ISTRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE,OR WHO HAS OVERDOSED AND PASSEDAWAY, IF ANYTHING YOU SHOULDFEEL MOREME WEPORED TO HELPOTHERS THROUGH THEIR STRUGGLE."TRACK: TRYING TO SAVE LIVE- S BYTELLING SARA'S STORY.THERE ARE LOTS OF RESOURCESREADY TO HELP PEOPLE STRUGGLINGWITH ADDICTION IN SOUTRNHECOLORADO -- PLACES LIKEASPENRIDGE...SANDSTONE CARE...DIVERSUS HEALTH...AND THE LIST GOES ON.IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONERIGHT NOW -- CALL COLORADOCRISIS SERVICES, AT1-844-493-82-55.ADDICTION IS NOT SOMETHING, YOUHAVE TO FIGHT ALE.ONAWOFY, SC, CB N5.