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The Middletown Journal/Hamilton JournalNews has been writing for the past year about the resurgence of heroin use in Butler and Warren counties. Count on our reporters to continue to report on how police and drug treatment agencies are combating the drug and raise awareness about the devastating effects it is having on local communities and families.
Hundreds turned out Friday in downtown Hamilton for a Heroin Awareness Rally planned by two old friends who are now mothers of children struggling with addiction.
Candy Murray Abbott stood in front of the Government Services Building surrounded by a sea of colorful signs held by people of all walks of life touched by the highly addictive drug. At her side was her son, Jesse, who is 39 days clean.
“If I can do it, anyone can,” the 27-year-old said with a smile. “But it is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.”
Abbott began organizing the rally after learning of her son’s addiction and the epidemic the drug has become in Butler County. There has been a 660 percent increase in the number of heroin arrests since 2007 and 90 percent of Butler County’s drug court docket is tied to heroin use, court and sheriff’s officials say.
On the Internet, she reconnected with a childhood friend, Tammie Norris, who has a daughter also in the clutches of heroin addiction.
Norris of Hamilton and Abbott of Blanchester then began planning to raise awareness, beginning with the rally.
“I want to wake people up. I want to yell to everyone,” Abbott said. “Heroin is everywhere.”
Norris said Friday that her daughter, Danielle Combs, is in the Butler County Jail, but she is happy to see Jesse standing beside his mother.
She is also thankful her daughter is alive, “I would rather have her alive and in jail than outside on heroin.”
Saundra Ruiz of Hamilton held a picture of her late daughter in the air as speakers told their stories of hope and overcoming addiction. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
When asked who’s picture she was holding, Ruiz said “it’s Terryl, Terryl Chandler, my daughter. I lost her two years ago Aug. 8 … OD (overdose).”
Ruiz said her fun-loving blond daughter, who worked as a painter, was 39 when she died.
“I am here because I don’t want her to have died in vain,” Ruiz said.
Addressing the crowd of about 150 was Amy Jean Wright, a recovering heroin addict who marked her 500th day sober. She asked for prayer, because it is something that kept her sane in her journey to recovery.
“There is hope after dope,” Wright said. “I once was desperate, but we do recover.”
Alison Bandy-Enos of West Chester Twp. lost a 21-year-old son to the drug when he died of an overdose. But she felt blessed that her daughter, Natasha Kuyper, who is a recovering addict, attended the rally with her.
Kuyper, who is 9-months clean, said the drug “grabs a hold of you from the beginning. It is really hard to describe and really hard to stop using.”
Bandy-Enos said a support system, whether it is a mother, friend or a treatment facility is very important.
Members of county drug awareness councils and agencies were in attendance along with Sojourner Recovery Services that offered educational information. Butler County Coroner Dr. Lisa Mannix was also in attendance. Her office deals with overdose victims of the drug.
During much of the rally, people lined the busy corner with signs and received plenty of honks and yells of support.
A Hamilton EMS unit passed by with paramedics honking and giving the thumbs up.
One large sign was shared by sisters, Amber Brown, 15, and Brittany Brown, 22. The girls lost their 19-year-old sister Amanda to heroin in 2009.
“We are not the same. Are family isn’t whole,” said Brittany Brown.
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