The following article is a guest contribution by Lisa Bolton, the founder of The Dandelion Project.
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Two Ocala mothers took their message about overdose awareness on the road.
Lisa Bolton & Michelle Pepin are the co-founders of the nonprofit Mothers United to Educate (M.U.T.E.).
The duo recently traveled to Bolton’s home state of New Jersey.
In 2019, Bolton lost her 26-year-old daughter, Kerri Fernley, to an overdose of heroin laced with fentanyl and carfentanil.
Pepin’s 26-year-old son, Ian, died in 2018 when he was injected with pure fentanyl by someone he trusted.
Both mothers say families are losing too many loved ones to the opioid epidemic.
Even more heartbreaking, they say, is the number of young children losing their lives to the epidemic whether due to exposure or abuse.
The women joined with Leslie “Billy” Smith and Susan Schmidt from Angels Across America-Drug Epidemic Awareness Ride (D.E.A.R.) for a Memorial Day weekend event in New Jersey featuring Angels Across America’s mobile memorial. The distinct-looking vehicle features a collage of faces honoring loved ones lost to opioids. It made a stop in Florida last month. Smith’s son, Jeremy, and Schmidt’s daughter, Alyssa, died from opioids.
The moms have waged war on opioids and participate in many events throughout the year trying to educate families about the dangers. Most recently, they brought their battle against opioids to New Jersey while paying tribute to America’s fallen war heroes at the All Veterans Memorial located in Turkey Brook Park in in Mount Olive, New Jersey. The memorial park was built about twenty years ago.
“It was one of the most amazing tributes to our service men and women I have ever seen,” said Bolton.
Pepin was especially moved. Her husband, Rick, was a veteran. He passed away this past fall.
“There was a replica of Blue Skin, George Washington’s horse. Behind him was a section dedicated to our four-legged heroes, and a wall painted with an amazing mural that hundreds of dog tags are displayed on,” she stated.
The tomb in the center is dedicated to those missing, wounded and killed in action, as well as prisoners of war. It holds Bibles from around the world and is encased in gold. The memorial’s final segment was dedicated to children – military children, children of war and the war against children.
Both organizations, M.U.T.E and Angels Across America placed painted rocks at the memorial.
The moment was made even more special when Bolton discovered the dandelion was part of the monument. The flower is symbolic for military children. Bolton also founded a nonprofit called The Dandelion Project which provides counseling and support services for families who’ve lost a loved one to opioid addiction.
In honor of the loved ones they lost, the group picked dandelions and made solemn wishes.
Pepin and Bolton returned to Ocala in time for Memorial Day. They joined Rachael Reimer of Good Shepherd Memorial Gardens along with Boy Scout Cub Pack 707, and the Rainbow River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to place American flags throughout the cemetery in honor of those who paid the ultimate price.
