“I don’t think I would have ever thought to pass Narcan out to the homeless if it wasn’t for him,” said Rachel Phillips.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Dozens of Fort Worth residents are stepping up to fight the growing fentanyl overdose crisis in North Texas.
They have put out a call for volunteers to help pass out free Narcan doses to the public. Narcan is a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses.
Zach Abrego, who survived a fentanyl overdose, will be among the volunteers. He survived an overdose of Fentanyl, not realizing it was in the drug he used at home one day.
“I got what I thought was some Oxycodone from a dealer,” Abrego said, “One minute I was looking at pictures on my phone. Then, about 30 seconds later I was just sitting in a chair with my eyes completely open and not breathing.”
Abrego’s wife called 911, and paramedics revived him using Narcan.
“It was a terrifying five minutes for my wife,” said Abrego, “Thank God they were there to give me that Narcan. I would not have made it if they had not, and that absolutely saved my life.”
According to Texas Health Services, overdose deaths involving fentanyl increased from 891 in 2020 to 1,672 in 2021, highlighting the urgency of addressing the crisis.
For Rachel Phillips, reducing the number of drug overdose deaths in Tarrant County is personal.
Last year, her younger brother Alex died from a fentanyl overdose. She was seven years his senior and loved taking care of Alex when they were growing up. The two of them had a special bond. Alex became an advocate for homeless people who struggle with drug addiction. He stayed positive about overcoming his own addiction despite relapse.
Nevertheless, during his recovery period, Alex encouraged so many other people to fight according to Rachel. She is trying to keep his memory alive through volunteerism.
“I think about him a lot,” Phillips says. “I feel like he is with me.”
In memory of Alex, Phillips has joined dozens of volunteers to distribute free Narcan, focusing on the homeless population and other vulnerable groups. They hope others will join them on Monday, Dec. 23, at 4:30 p.m. at 1501 East El Paso Street in Fort Worth.
“I don’t think I would have ever thought to pass Narcan out to the homeless if it wasn’t for him,” said Rachel Phillips.
Phillips and Abrego, who met at Alex’s funeral, now work together to reduce the rising number of drug overdose deaths in the city. They hope by getting Narcan in the hands of more people — they can save lives and prevent families from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one to fentanyl.