North Texas teen who survived fentanyl overdose urges others to get help
DALLAS - A North Texas teenager and his mother are sharing his fentanyl overdose story in hopes that it might convince others to get the help they need.
Marisa Gonzales lost her oldest son, Gus, to suicide in 2019.
Her younger son, Colin, struggled with his brother’s death and turned to drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl.
The addiction got so bad that he ended up in the ER because of an overdose.
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"I found him in his room. He had overdosed one evening. And I called 911 and the paramedics came out and took him to the hospital," Gonzales said.
Thankfully, the paramedics and doctors in the ER were able to save Colin’s life.
He said it’s still mind-boggling to think about how he survived that night and recovered from his addiction.
"Your first hit can be your last. I was fortunate enough through my two years of active addiction not to pass away. But kids nowadays take one hit and 30 minutes later they’re dead," he said.
He’s now 19 years old, working a part-time job, and attending college classes.
His mother was able to get him into a good rehab program, but there was a three-month waiting list.
And in a time when one pill can kill, waiting three or four months for help can be a challenge.
"That would be too late. You need it immediately and I found myself just at my wit’s ends trying to find help for him because I knew that I could not help him on my own. He needed professional help," Gonzales said.
Collin said he knew he was struggling but the fentanyl was so addictive that he couldn’t stop.
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He wants other teens to know there is help out there.
"The strongest thing that you can do is ask for help. There’s no shame in asking for help if you are struggling because people would much rather see you in treatment than in a casket," he said.
Colin said it’s often shocking for parents to learn how easy it is for their kids to find drugs like fentanyl.
"You can go on Instagram, Facebook, or whatever to type in a couple of words or certain emojis and you can find a dealer just like that. It’s not that hard," he said.
His mom said she noticed small signs that he was abusing drugs. For example, his bed sheets were always full of sweat or bloody from nosebleeds.
She just didn’t want to pay attention to those signs.
"In retrospect, I should have trusted my gut. But parents don’t want to admit that their children are using. I felt that same way. But you need to trust your gut instincts," she said.
Gonzales also urged parents who suspect anything to purchase Narcan, a nasal spray that can block the effects of opioids like fentanyl in an emergency. It was recently approved as an over-the-counter treatment.
Colin thinks it’s a good idea for teens to have it on hand too, especially if they have friends who is using drugs.
"You never know when you are going to need it," he said.
The city of Dallas has resources available for parents and teens on its Fentanyl Response website. For more information, visit dallascityhall.com/departments/public-affairs-outreach/opioid-response/.