Morris County Observes 23rd Anniversary of Overdose Awareness Day

Morris County officials, families of overdose victims, and service providers gathered today on the lawn of the Morris County Central Avenue Complex to remember lives lost to overdose and raise awareness of the opioid crisis on the 23rd anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day.

The event, organized by the county’s Division of Community & Behavioral Health Services, marked the fifth consecutive year Morris County has observed this solemn occasion, underscoring the community’s commitment to combating the opioid epidemic.

View Photos from Morris County Overdose Awareness Day

The ceremony featured personal stories of loss and recovery. Maria Stoker provided a moving speech about the death of her son, Thomas O'Neill Jr., who died on July 12, 2023, from a fentanyl overdose. Matthew Sager, who has been sober for eight years and two months, shared his recovery journey from the Men’s Halfway House at New Hope. Shannon Baruti, a Morris County resident, recounted how addiction has profoundly impacted her life and the lives of many loved ones she has lost to overdose.

Behind the chairs where participants and families of victims were seated stood the "Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall," a poster depicting hundreds of faces of New Jersey residents who have died from drug overdoses.

“These faces behind us should not just be a painful reminder of what we’ve lost; they should also motivate us to prevent the same agony from happening to others. Overdose deaths are irreversible, leading to generations of brokenness and devastation for families,” said Commissioner Director Christine Myers, who was joined by Commissioner Thomas Mastrangelo at the ceremony. “If there’s anything we need to impart to our youth, it’s the understanding that they matter most.”

Sheriff James M. Gannon, who delivered welcome remarks after a prayer led by Rev. Herman Scott, chaplain of the Morris County Correctional Facility, emphasized the importance of continued vigilance and community support in addressing the opioid crisis.

“Only action—not lip service or dates on a calendar—will reduce the number of people dying from overdoses and the number of people trying opioids and heroin for a thrill or to ease the pain, only to become addicted,” said Sheriff Gannon. “We are a county that takes action, that gets out into neighborhoods and offers solutions. We don’t leave people to suffer alone. We can defeat opioid abuse, and we can and do provide emotional support to those who feel overwhelmed or in despair.”

The sheriff noted that there have been 33 suspected fatal overdoses in Morris County this year, a 48% reduction compared to the same period last year. Drug overdoses have been steadily declining in the county since 2017, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The county’s success in addressing the opioid crisis can be attributed to numerous programs and partnerships among various departments, agencies, and 69 service providers throughout the county, including the Sheriff’s Office Re-Entry Program, Community Connections, the Hope One mobile unit, Hope Hub, Navigating Hope (a mobile outreach initiative provided by the Morris County Department of Human Services and Family Promise of Morris County), the Morris County Mental Health Association, and the Morris County Overdose Fatality Review Team.

Narcan administration has also contributed to the reduction in fatalities. To date, the Hope One team has trained 10,053 people in how to administer Narcan, and 160 Narcan kits have been returned, signifying lives saved by someone using Narcan they received from Hope One.

Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll spoke about the ongoing challenges law enforcement and emergency providers face due to the increasing prevalence of inexpensive, synthetic opioids like fentanyl and xylazine.

“Fentanyl is currently the only drug being cut with xylazine, an animal tranquilizer that is resistant to Narcan… A kilogram of fentanyl costs a fraction of what heroin does, so it’s dominating the deadly market. Today, 97 percent of the heroin being seized contains fentanyl—in some cases, it’s pure fentanyl,” said Prosecutor Carroll.

The prosecutor noted that since 1999, more than one million people in the United States have died from drug overdoses. While overdose deaths may be trending downward in New Jersey, drug-related fatalities remain a significant issue. Since 2014, Morris County has lost 639 people to overdoses, with fentanyl continuing to be the primary cause.

The event concluded with a remembrance of loved ones lost to the drug epidemic, led by Carol Egan, founder of the Global Recovery Movement and former chair of the Morristown and Morris Township Municipal Alliance. She invited Kathleen Hyland, former Morris Township mayor, and families of the victims to join her at the front.

Hyland and Egan are pioneers in the fight against the opioid crisis and substance abuse. They began meeting with Morristown citizens 35 years ago to develop drug and alcohol prevention programs in schools and communities. Their efforts resulted in the first Municipal Alliance in New Jersey in 1990, which fostered relationships with community leaders and offered life-changing opportunities for teens in need of substance abuse interventions and counseling.

As the ceremony concluded, Rev. Herman Scott offered a closing prayer, bringing the community together in a moment of reflection and hope.

In 2020, Sen. Anthony Bucco introduced legislation that was signed by the governor to recognize every Aug. 31 as Overdose Awareness Day. The Morris County Board of County Commissioners joined this observance through a resolution adopted on July 8, 2020. The annual ceremony serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle against addiction and the need for continued action and support within the community.