LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — Mothers and families of people who died from drug overdoses will ride through East Tennessee on Saturday, cruising past neighborhoods on motorcycles in memory of their lost loved ones.
"Everyone who's lost that loved one — that is a human that is someone's loved one," said Mary Bell, who is helping organize the motorcycle ride.
She is one of many organizers who have lost a son or daughter to opioids — especially fentanyl. The others are Julie Baumgard and Christina Nuce, who have now dedicated their lives to raising awareness and informing others about fentanyl's dangers. Their grief unites them in the ground "4 Them We Fight."
"Her phone records indicate she thought that she was getting a Percocet. And instead, she got a very high dose of fentanyl, and that could kill about 80 people," said Julie Baumgard.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is the leading cause of death in suspected drug overdose deaths nationwide. It's around 50 times stronger than heroin, and around 100 times stronger than morphine, the CDC said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said fentanyl is also the third-most common drug found by law enforcement in the state.
"Don't think that it can't happen to your child. My son is well educated, well-rounded, and it happened to him. I don't know how," said Christina Nuce.
In Knox County, more than 230 people have died from a suspected drug overdose so far this year. Last year, more than 500 people died from a suspected drug overdose.
"You don't want any other parent to go through what we're going through," said Mary Bell.
Joshua, Sawna and Daniel — the three children they lost — are all motivations for these three mothers to ride together on Saturday through East Tennessee. The ride is expected to start at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday at the Food City in Loudon County. It will end at the Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson in Maryville.