When Drew Swan was in his 20’s he had an injury and the doctor prescribed the painkiller Percocet (oxycodone), a narcotic drug. When the prescription ran out, he got the drug through illicit means. From there on, he was able to feed his new addiction.
Drew was an educated, well-traveled, intelligent person who had a lot to look forward to in his life. But his addiction overshadowed his dreams. When he went to stay with his father in Michigan, he was trying to get off opioids. The outlook to get off drugs is bleak. Some say it’s as low as 2-5 percent.
Drew’s father, Greg was astonished at the change in his son Drew’s personality. He stayed with his father during the summer but then left to see his girlfriend. Drew’s sadness was overwhelming as he tried to get through withdrawals from narcotic use.
Later, Drew’s family planned an intervention but it didn’t go well. Drew later agreed to go through rehab and it seemed to work. Drew was sober for a while. But it just took one time when he went to a party and took “Molly” (also known as ecstacy).
From there on, he got back into drugs and he experienced an overdose. He was in trouble. He was with a friend and said he was OK, but he was not well. When his friend left, he stumbled into bed and died. The opioid had shut down his breathing. He turned blue. He did not show up for work; his friends were concerned because he didn’t respond. His friend contacted the family and told them something was wrong with Drew. The paramedics tried to revive him but they couldn’t bring him back. Drew was 24 years old when he died.
When Drew’s father was contacted, it was the middle of the night and he was told that his son, Drew was dead. As a bereaved parent, Drew’s father suffered the way no parent should. After trying to recover from the grief that he experienced, Greg Swan eventually started Fentanyl Fathers, a non-profit organization that brings parents together who have lost their children to Fentanyl. Greg Swan wants to bring awareness and education about the dangers of Fentanyl.
The epidemic of fentanyl overdose is extremely serious. Some states have required Fentanyl prevention education in schools. With thousands of kids dying from Fentanyl, Drew’s father wants Fentanyl education to be mandatory throughout the country. Fentanyl overdose exceeds deaths from other serious causes such as COVID, cancer, drunk driving, etc.
If you are a grieving parent or you want to get involved, visit Fentanyl Fathers. It is for all grieving families and for those who want to make a difference. Please visit:
Drew’s dad, Greg Swan is so dedicated to helping others with fentanyl addiction. If only Drew could see how much his family cares.