“If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I would have ever thought to give out Narcan to the homeless,” Rachel Phillips said.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Dozens of Fort Worth residents are stepping up to fight the growing fentanyl overdose crisis in North Texas.
They are looking for volunteers to help distribute Narcan doses to the public for free. Narcan is a life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdoses.
Zach Abrego, a fentanyl overdose survivor, will also be joining the volunteers. He survived a fentanyl overdose without realizing that the drugs he was using at home one day contained fentanyl.
“I obtained what I believe to be oxycodone from a dealer,” Abrego said. “One moment I was looking at a photo on my phone. Then about 30 seconds later I was sitting in a chair with my eyes fully open and not breathing.”
Abrego’s wife called 911, and paramedics used Narcan to revive him.
“It was a terrifying five minutes for my wife,” Abrego said. “Thank God they gave me Narcan. I wouldn’t have made it without them and it definitely saved my life.”
The number of fentanyl overdose deaths rose from 891 in 2020 to 1,672 in 2021, underscoring the urgency of addressing this crisis, according to the Texas Health Service.
For Rachel Phillips, reducing drug overdose deaths in Tarrant County is personal.
Last year, her brother Alex died of a fentanyl overdose. She is seven years older than Alex and loved taking care of him from an early age. The two had a special bond. Alex became an advocate for homeless people struggling with drug addiction. He was positive about overcoming his own addiction, even though it relapsed.
Despite this, Rachel says that Alex encouraged many others to fight during his recovery. She tries to keep his memory alive through volunteer work.
“I think about him a lot,” Phillips said. “I feel like he’s with me.”
In memory of Alex, Phillips joined dozens of volunteers to distribute free Narcan, focusing on the homeless and other vulnerable populations. They hope others will join them on Monday, Dec. 23 at 4:30 p.m., 1501 East El Paso Street, Fort Worth.
“If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I would have ever thought to give out Narcan to the homeless,” Rachel Phillips said.
Phillips and Abrego, who met at Alex’s funeral, are now working together to reduce the number of drug overdose deaths in the city. They hope that by getting Narcan into the hands of more people, they can save lives and prevent families from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one to fentanyl.
