#13
Posted on 05/20/2024 9:17:47 PM PDT by nickcarraway
In April, we brought you special reports on families rocked by fatal overdoses.
Tequila Bates‘ family was one of them, and on Monday, May 20, her family unveiled a large billboard in Nashville with Bates’ face and life-saving message on it.
Those who knew Bates know she wasn’t afraid of a little limelight.
“She is in heaven looking down saying, ‘You go, mama. Look at all this attention that I’m getting,” said Christy Rhoton, Bates’ mom.
Family said Bates wouldn’t mind seeing herself on a billboard. Not one bit.
“Oh yeah, she’d love it. ‘Look at everybody looking at me. I’m great. I’m beautiful. I’m the best thing out there,'” said Trent Scruggs, Bates’ brother.
After Bates passed in October from fentanyl-laced cocaine, her mom and brother thought, what better way than a billboard to both honor their daughter while also getting out an important message.
“Whoever killed my child is still walking the streets of Nashville, to do it to someone else’s child or somebody else’s loved one,” said Rhoton.
Bates is one of 20 pictured on the West End Avenue billboard, but each one is a victim of a fatal fentanyl overdose. The DEA seized 79.5 million fentanyl-laced fake pills in 2023.
“You can’t trust anyone. You can’t buy anything from anybody, because this stuff is everywhere and it’s killing our kids. It’s killing our families every single day,” said Rhoton.
Rhoton is not alone. Fentanyl also took Cindy DeMaio’s daughter, Rachel.
“She took her last breathe in my arms,” said DeMaio.
38,000 drug-endangered kids reported in Tennessee Grieving, DeMaio launched Rachel’s Angels out of her home in Ohio. Her non-profit spreads fentanyl awareness through billboards, like the one unveiled this week in Nashville.
“We just want to be their voices. That’s all we care about is to be our child’s voice because they can’t speak anymore,” said DeMaio.
For Bates’ family, the billboard is bittersweet, and they want drivers to take notice.
“I think sadness isn’t enough. I think anger needs to be felt, because if not, in a month when this billboard ends, we’ll see 20 more victims on that billboard as well,” said Scruggs.
This Saturday, May 25, from noon to 2 p.m., there will be a rally at that billboard at the corner of West End Avenue and 30th Avenue North in Nashville. Organizers said anyone is welcome.
If you lost a friend or loved one to fentanyl, you are encouraged to bring a sign and photograph. They will also be handing out free Narcan.
Congratulations, George Floyd, on four years of Sobriety. Just remember, One Day At A Time.
If you died from fentanyl and didn't blame it on the cops ... then you ain't black!
Sad state of affairs. Humans self destructive behaviour (intentional, psychological, or physiological) very clear to see. Opiate madness. No one’s laughing, except the money makers.
The world could use a bit more humility. But today everybody expects to be the star of the show. It leads to bad choices.
<>No one’s laughing, except the money makers.<>
According to Peter Schweizer in “Blood Money,” that would be the CCP, Mexican drug cartels and US politicians.
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