BOISE, Idaho — Empty chairs lined the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday. Each chair represented one Idahoan who has died from drug overdose last year. In total 353 chairs were on display, a visual representation of the 353 Idahoans who died in 2021.
“The purpose of today's event is to reflect on all of us to come together united as a community to come together, pull our hearts together, and work together towards healing work together towards bringing our community uplifted, and providing resources for our community members, our families and friends,” said Palina Louangketh, the Bureau Chief for the Bureau of Equity and Strategic Partnerships at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Wednesday’s event marked International Overdose Awareness Day, which is the largest overdose awareness campaign in the world. In Boise, people gathered to honor the lives lost from overdose and recognize and acknowledge the pain, the suffering and the journey families, friends and the communities across Idaho experience.
House Speaker Scott Bedke attended the event in place of Governor Brad Little. He was one of several speakers on Wednesday.
“Our speakers represent drug overdose prevention, intervention and post-intervention the messages that they emphasize for today on this special awareness day, is really to provide inspiration and hope to Idahoans,” Louangketh said.
Kaitlin Fledderjohann was also among the speakers. She shared her personal experience with overdose.
“When I was on those drugs, that was not at all who I am today, I was a completely different person,” Fledderjohann said. “I didn't have any morals. I didn't have any limits.”
She adds there were times when she felt there was no hope.
“My life was so miserable, I didn't have any hope. I didn't have any friends, I didn't have any family. I was homeless, and I wanted something different,” Fledderjohann said. “I shared my story about how the guy bailed me out and I didn't want to be bailed out, like I tried fighting deputies, I didn't want to go, I wasn't ready to be released, I wanted to stay and get treatment in jail, because jail was the safest place that I would ever was in my addiction.”
She now hopes to encourage anyone who is experiencing what she felt back then, to get help.
“I want everyone to know, you know, like addiction, for a long time was seen as kind of like a grungy, dirty thing. and you don't want to think about it or like you see homeless people, when you think of like they're addicts, just let them do their thing they chose to be there and, you know, like, a lot of the time that's not the case, like, we're everywhere in recovery is possible," Fledderjohann said.
If you or someone you know are dealing with overdose problems right now, you are not alone, there are resources available.
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