More than 400 people congregated at Rollins Park on Saturday to raise awareness about opioid addiction. The event was the brainchild of a Center Barnstead woman whose brother died from a heroin overdose one year ago today.
Lisa Sprague’s brother, 36-year-old John J. O’Brien, died last year after a years-long battle with heroin addiction. Sprague attended a heroin awareness walk in Nashua two months ago, which inspired her to push local officials to work with her on a similar event here.
“Things worked out really well,” Sprague said.
She wore O’Brien’s Red Sox jersey, while thanking people for attending. People sang and played guitar at the gazebo, which served as the central meeting point for a 1- and 2-mile walk through the streets around the park.
Banners and placards were displayed, identifying victims who had died from heroin overdoses, including sisters Michaela Hanscom and MacKenzie O’Malley, both of South Boston.
Both died in 2014. A sign read, “Our aunt Michaela, she was gorgeous, kind, fun, in nursing school, had the best laugh ever, and in recovery for four years, but when our mom went into heaven she relapsed and soon followed her sister five months later.”
Hanscom was 24; O’Malley 21.
Another sign, carried by Ashley Smith of Laconia, read, “I lost my best friend to this war. I miss you, Meg.”
Meg Hoey overdosed and died, also in 2014. She was 26 years old, a recent graduate from estheticians school.
The event included a tent in the far corner of the park, where health professionals such as Monica Percy-Edgar gave instructions on how to use Narcan kits. A blast of the medication in each nostril can reverse the deadly effect of a heroin overdose.
Five hundred kits were available, and 135 people were trained to use them.
(Ray Duckler can be reached at 369-3304, rduckler@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @rayduckler.)