Kenosha Narcan training, fentanyl deaths on the rise

KENOSHA, Wis. - With fentanyl deaths on the rise in Kenosha County and across the country, one mother is helping equip families with tools and knowledge to save lives.

Theresa Newman’s nonprofit, Sarah’s Hope & Recovery Foundation, hosted free Narcan training for the public at Rettungs-Haus Shepherds in Kenosha Friday night, Sept. 16.

Newman lost her 27-year-old daughter, Sarah, and Sarah’s unborn baby to a fentanyl overdose last November.

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"She loved sports, loved animals. Oh my gosh did she love animals. She left behind a dog named Larry," Newman said. "She was a giving person, but she also was an addict."

While death takes so much, Newman is focused on giving back.

Sarah Beckius

"I think this is what Sarah would want. This is my opinion, a lesson learned, and if I can provide that lesson and help others not go through what my family went through, that again, bottom line," said Newman.

It's a life-saving lesson. With fentanyl deaths on the rise, Kenosha County Opioid Task Force Chair Kari Foss said Narcan training is much like people learning first aid or CPR.

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"They want to be available to their community, and I believe Narcan is exactly the same, you could save someone’s life," said Foss.

Through this work, Newman is channeling her daughter while giving back so more lives are not taken away.

NARCAN

"If we all pull together, I really think we could do so much good," Newman said.

Friday's event also had resources on recovery – something health officials stress is 100% possible. Newman said this is just the first step; she plans to hit the streets to give out Narcan and fentanyl test strips.