7th annual candlelight vigil honors local lives lost to addiction

WASILLA — Community members from across the Mat-Su Valley gathered at MyHouse Homeless Youth Center to honor the large number of local lives lost to addiction during the seventh annual candlelight vigil.

Community members took turns reading the names of over 400 people who lost their lives due to addiction while everyone in attendance held electric candles.

“It's very important to read the names and acknowledge the people that have been lost to addiction. Unfortunately, the list has gotten longer,” Mat-Su Opioid Task Force founder Michael Carson said.

Carson cited the rise in fentanyl being mixed into pills and illicit drugs as one of the most prominent factors in the overall increase of drug related deaths. He said the prevalence of fentanyl is particularly concerning when it comes to youth’s exposure to the dangerous drug.

“We’re seeing a lot more fatal overdoses," Carson said. “It’s deadly opioid roulette.”

John Green put on the first Candlelight Vigil event January 10, 2017 a year after his daughter Kellsie Green died in prison due to health complications from heroin detox. John went on to found Kellsie’s Key, a group that works to raise awareness about addiction, break down the stigma surrounding those struggling with addiction as well as their families, and help make recovery resources available. He also helped establish the Mat-Su Opioid Task Force to rally community support and overall awareness around drug and alcohol addiction.

Local groups and organizations such as MyHouse, True North Recovery, and the Mat-Su Opioid Task Force have helped organize the event since the beginning.

The Vigil is normally held Jan. 10 but Green had to move it due to work obligations. This year’s event was held March 19, Kellsie’s birthday. She would have been 33 this year. Kellsie’s mother Kathi Green passed around a butterfly balloon that people could sign in honor of her daughter's birthday.

John noted that overall attendance was lower than usual this year, but he’s not discouraged by that. He said that he’s thankful for the continued support and plans to keep this annual event going.

“We’re just going to keep doing it,” Green said.

John said that more people are dying of drug overdoses and there’s been less public dialogue surrounding the issue, especially with so much fentanyl going around. He said it’s important to focus on the “human aspect” of the addiction epidemic sweeping the nation and how it’s affecting families.

“We’ve got to be talking about it,” Green said. “Awareness needs a complete resurrection.”

According to the DEA website, just two milligrams of fentanyl can kill a person depending on their body size, tolerance, and past use.

“It’s a scary thing,” Green said.

A lot of different drug and alcohol treatment centers and other community projects have emerged in recent years. Carson said it’s encouraging to know there’s more options available for those seeking help.

“There's so many more resources now," Carson said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com