North Texans who lost loved ones to fentanyl look to raise awareness of dangerous drug

Movie coming to Dallas highlights fentanyl dangers

1,100 North Texans died of a fentanyl overdose last year. The documentary "Fentanyl Unlimited" will highlight some of the stories of victims across the country. For many in North Texas, the stories hit close to home.

DALLAS - October is Fentanyl Awareness Month and stats show deaths due to poisoning from the dangerous drug has skyrocketed among young people.

Some 70,000 people nationwide die of fentanyl poisoning every year.

A new documentary being shown in Dallas is shedding light on the problem, with some North Texans sharing their personal stories of loss.

"When we lost him it was right there in our house. We found him in our garage," said Frankie Moreno.

Frankie and Ofie Moreno watched their 24-year-old son, Sebastian, die from fentanyl poisoning.

They say he took half a pill of what he thought was oxycontin.

He got the pill from a co-worker.

"It’s a horrible experience it’s a horrible experience to find out that your child is gone," said Ofie Moreno.

Sebastian is one of approximately 1,100 North Texans who died of a fentanyl overdose last year.

It's a widespread problem being highlighted in a new documentary called "Fentanyl Unlimited."

"My biggest takeaway is most people who take fentanyl don’t know they’re taking it," said the movie's director Charlie Minn.

Minn interviewed dozens of people over a six-month period, from law enforcement agents, to medical experts, to addicts and families and friends who lost loved ones.

"The screening has to be shown here in Texas because 1 out of 4 Texans has had an opioid overdose or know someone who has. That’s alarming," said Minn.

Plano West senior Kelsey Jahnke didn't know much about fentanyl until one of her best friends died from fentanyl poisoning in 2022.

"It’s going to continue to be a problem until we address it," said Jahnke.

Jahnke's friend was named Sienna Vaughn. The two had been in the same Girl Scouts troop since they were kids.

Parents of Plano teen who died from fentanyl hope sharing Sienna's story will help others

The parents of Plano Senior High School student Sienna Vaughn said their daughter died after taking just one pill that was laced with fentanyl.

"She believed she was taking a Percocet. It was not a Percocet it has a lethal amount of fentanyl, and she passed away from that," she said.

Jahnke is advocating for more awareness in schools.

She and the Morenos believe documentaries like "Fentanyl Unlimited" are important to get the word out to the masses.

"I think very often of how she had her whole life to live she would’ve been a senior this year she never got to graduate high school," said Jahnke.

Film dives into fentanyl crisis & effect on families

There's a new film out about the dangers of fentanyl and the devastating effects it has on families. Charlie Minn, the director of "Fentanyl Unlimited," joined Good Day along with Kelsey Jahnke, who has a personal connection to the topic. Her friend died earlier this year because of a fentanyl overdose.

"When we had him cremated I'm the one who pushed him in. It's rough it's hard," said Frankie Moreno.

The documentary will be screened at Look Dine-In Cinemas located off Northwest Highway on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

The director says he hopes to include the Moreno family's story in the streaming version set to be released later this year.