LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fentanyl is killing Kentuckians. According to the Attorney General’s Office, 2,250 Kentuckians “lost their lives to overdose death” and fentanyl was involved in over 70% of these deaths.
The Drug Enforcement Administration's Louisville Division (DEA) told Spectrum News 1 they’re working hard to get fentanyl off the streets.
The DEA says just two milligrams of fentanyl can be enough to kill someone.
A Julie Hofmans is on a mission to save as many people as she can from dying from fentanyl after losing her son, Wyatt Williamson, to the drug.
“Wyatt was a light. I mean, he just lit up a room. He just did,” Hofmans, Wyatt’s explained. “No matter who you were, if you needed a friend, he would be that friend.”
Touching a pillow made from one of his shirts helps her feel closer to her son. He was an outdoors kind of guy and the youngest of three.
“I know in my heart that Wyatt lived a very happy, fun-filled, loved 23 years, so I know he’s okay. I know he’s with the Lord.” she said.
Hofmans said his girlfriend was with him one evening—not at their house—and they both took a Xanax pill.
“What they think, in theory, is that Wyatt probably ran out of his prescription. Kids these days, they do crazy things. They give a couple away or whatever and they think he ran low, and he probably got it from someone else. But nobody knew those were poisoned with fentanyl,” Hofmans said.
His girlfriend survived. Wyatt died instantly.
Through her tears, she said, “I’m not trying to save Wyatt. That can’t be done. I’m trying to save others.”
She is raising awareness about the deadly dangers of fentanyl. She has spoken at the DEA family Summit, as well as at Lexington’s opioid abatement commission and most recently at the drug summit in Harlan County.
“If I can save another family from going through what I’m going through or another child whose lost their sibling. I’m not going to stop at anything,” she said.
Hofmans has also spoken to students at 30 different high schools, sharing Wyatt’s story. When she’s outside with her horse, she is comfortable and feels her son all around. Going to talk to kids in schools helps her feel like her son is still here.
“I tell them Wyatt made a choice on April 5th to take a pill that he did not know where it came from. It did not come from his pharmacy. That pill took Wyatt’s life. In the three seconds it takes to take a sip of water, and take a pill, Wyatt was gone. The kids feel that, they feel that pain. They don’t want to see their family go through that, they don’t want to be gone and I think it, it is saving lives,” said Hofmans.