In this powerful and emotional video, we sit down with Carole Trottere, an advocate and communicator working with law enforcement on Narcan training and supporting families devastated by the opioid epidemic. Carole’s personal connection to this crisis is deeply moving—her only child, Gabriel, tragically passed away at the age of 30 due to fentanyl poisoning.

Follow her on the Purple Rock Project on Facebook for more information on her initiatives: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Purple-Rock-Project-61552503092645/

Consider supporting Gabriel’s Giving Tree (https://licadd.org/psbggt2024?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) one of the non-profits that Carole works with. After her grandson Gabriel died of an overdose in 2010, Grandmother Paulette Phillippe remembers how her family had the additional struggle to pay for funeral expenses. That’s why in 2020, to mark Gabriel’s 10th anniversary in heaven, she formed Gabriel’s Giving Tree (GGT) to help families in need on Long Island pay for funeral and burial services after a loved one dies from an opioid poisoning or substance use disorder. In 2021, GGT joined forces with the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD), together they have raised more than $100,000, assisting nearly 38 families to date to provide their loved ones one final gift.Please help us continue the conversation Carole has started!