Drug overdose deaths, 'Jump for Archie' hopes to curb crisis
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - A Wisconsin family is on a mission to reduce the number of drug overdose deaths. On Saturday, the community joined them for a leap into Lac La Belle in hopes of saving lives.
The family started the annual "Jump for Archie" event to raise awareness about the opiod crisis. Lauri McHugh Badura lost Archie, her 19-year-old son, to a fentanyl overdose in 2014.
"He was snorting something, and that was it. That was the last time that he ever woke up, that May day," McHugh Badura said.
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The mother's life was changed forever, but the family did not let Archie's story end there.
"Our family decided, rather than be silent, that we would save others for Archie," she said.
"Jump for Archie" on Lac La Belle
For the past decade, the Oconomowoc community has joined the family in the Jump for Archie – taking a leap to curb a crisis that is plaguing too many lives.
"Each year we’ve grown this organization, this Jump for Archie," said Augie Badura, Archie's brother.
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The jump is meant to not only raise awareness, but to increase overdose prevention.
"Increasing the training. The NARCAN kits are out there, we’ve just surpassed 10,000 kits," Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow said.
By sharing Archie's story, the family hopes they can change the story for others.
"Jump for Archie" on Lac La Belle
"It’s everywhere. It’s not just this small town we live in – it’s absolutely everywhere," said McHugh Badura.
While the final jump for the event took place Saturday, the family said it was not the end of their fight. They plan to continue raising money and awareness by sharing Archie's story.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 112,000 people died from a drug overdose in 2023.