Those lost to addiction were solemnly remembered during the overdose awareness vigil at The Bridge Recovery Center on Wednesday on International Overdose Awareness Day.
The Bridge Recovery Center Volunteer Coordinator Tara Killeen thanked everyone for paying homage to those lost.The Bridge Recovery Center Director KerriAnn Caccavaro said watching a 20-minute overdose awareness memorial slideshow is unacceptable.Speaker Kevin O’Leary, who is in recovery, lost his sister, Meghan, to addiction. He said she helped him to get into treatment.Shawn Savini spoke in his brother’s Joseph’s, 34, and Nicholas’ 29, memory; Malden resident Janice Avant spoke in remembrance of her son, Michael Lewis, 46, and Kevin O’Leary spoke in memory of his sister, Meghan, 43.Colleen and Gordon Bullard came in memory of their son, Cory, 30.Mark O’Keefe in memory of his brother, Corey Richard, 36, and Calvary Christian Church Celebrate Recovery Pastor Sterling Key.A Vision Of Hope Founder Joseph and his father, Ward 7 Councillor Chris Simonelli, The Family Restored volunteers Jessica Bees, in back, Courtney Carleo, Benjamin Coffin, in back, and Malden Overcoming Addiction board of directors member Linda Cochran, Gavin certified recovery coach Gail Poirer and recovery coach Susan Jeselonis.Speaker Shawn Savini, who is in recovery from OxyContin, said recovery programs are more readily available.Robert Gonzalez prayed for those who lost their lives to addiction, adding it is a celebration of life, not a funeral service.Speaker Janice Avant lost her son, Michael, to a headache pill that, without his knowledge, was laced with fentanyl.Nicholas Savini, the brother of one of the speakers, Shawn, was featured in the memorial video on international awareness overdose day.Memorial bags are illuminated beside the ribbon.Shown from left to right: Malden residents Joy Bailey, Janice Avant, Tisha Goullaud, Bella Goullaud, Donnell Bailey, and Althea Harvey, who are in recovery, are shown during the Overdose Awareness Day vigil held by The Bridge Recovery on Wednesday.Kristina Pezzulo wore shirts in memory of her boyfriend, Shawn Coleman, and Elena Pezzulo in memory of her brother, Anthony Pezzulo.
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