Mothers gather to spread awareness of fentanyl epidemic

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - People around the country are celebrating Mother's Day, but there are many who are celebrating without their children. Lisa Carpenter Grant is one of those. It's been one year since Grant lost her son, Rylee, and Sunday she helped host an event to help others learn about fentanyl poisoning while also honoring the lives of their loved ones.

"Mom and I have come up with a saying that everything is as it should be. I'm blessed that I had 29 years of that with him. I am just deeply saddened that we don't get more than that," said Ashton Simpson, Rylee's older sister.

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Rylee Carpenter was 29-years-old when his life tragically ended on April 27, 2022 from fentanyl poisoning.

"It's hidden in everything. It was hidden for Rylee. Three granules of salt is the size of enough fentanyl to kill you," said Lisa Carpenter Grant, Rylee's mother.

Rylee's mom, Lisa, is now on a mission to spread awareness of the drug as she works to guide others through similar situations.

"You could ask a million questions. Why? Why did this happen? Those are going to be unanswered for forever," said Simpson.

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"If you ingest something that you do not know is present, you were poisoned. You are a victim. And that's what this is. We have hundreds of thousands of victims to the opiate problem in this country," said Grant.

Although the event spread awareness on Mother's Day, a national group called the Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall has plans to remember all the lives lost across the United States. Lisa is the ambassador for the Oklahoma memorial.

"This is a 50-state campaign. So this memorial wall was loosely based on the DEA Faces of Fentanyl at the DEA museum in Arlington, Virginia," said Grant.

If you would like to be part of the Oklahoma memorial group or would like more information about it, email Lisa at lisacarpentergrant@yahoo.com.