No parent is supposed to bury his son. But because of a new and dangerous drug, it happens too often nowadays.
In March 2017, Sherri Kent was forced to say goodbye to her 22-year-old son, Michael. No matter what she said to herself or what she thought she could do, she had no chance of saving her son’s life.
So now, Sherri hopes that her heartbreaking story will save the children of other parents. In a moving post on Facebook, she shared a picture of her lying next to her dying son in the hospital bed.
“My son was not addicted or a drug addict, he made a mistake that cost him his life”, she wrote.
On March 21, Michael Kent from Canada, died at the age of 22. All his life was ahead of him, but unfortunately, he lost them to Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid similar to heroin, but 50 to 100 times stronger. The drug is very difficult to dose, and a very small difference separates the effect you want from it from overdose.
According to the Calgary police, Michael’s case was not alone – the drug kills 3-4 people a day in certain parts of Canada.
The message on Facebook by Michael’s mother, Sherri, was not only directed at Canadian parents, but at parents around the world where young people can get Fentanyl.
“I just want everyone to know that my son Michael died of a fentanyl overdose”, Sherri wrote. “I just want everyone to be aware of this plague that kills young people every day and everywhere”.
Michael had to try Fentanyl only once until it killed him.
He was in arrangements when a person he knew suggested that he try “the strongest” heroin. At first he refused, but a day later, he decided to try it.
The two took the drug in the toilet of a shop. But when the other man saw Michael’s reaction to it, he panicked and ran away.
Twenty minutes later, the guy controlled his senses and returned to the shop, and together with the shopkeeper they opened the bathroom door. Inside, Michael was unconscious and his lips were blue.
“By the time the ambulance arrived he was already suffering from cardiac arrest”, Sherri said.
Michael took Fentanyl. He was connected to a respirator at the hospital, and died a week later.
When Michael’s mother realized that her 22-year-old son was going to die, she gave him one last hug.
“They made a place for me in the bed where I could lie next to my son and talk to him”, Sherri said. “That was the moment I told him I was still proud of him”.