Nashville mom speaks out about her daughter’s struggle with substance abuse

By DANIELLE JACKSON

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — Metro health department is urging people to check on those that battle with addiction after a spike in drug overdoses this weekend.

During a 24-hour span, there were three fatal drug overdoses that occurred in Hermitage. The Metro Public Health Department put out what’s called a “Spike Alert” urging people to check in with family members and friends due to a recent spike in overdoses cases.

Overdoses are a topic that hits home for Betty Mason, a Nashville mother, who lost her daughter, Katy, to substance abuse back in 2016. Katy shared a loved for horses and eventually came an equestrian.

“She was the youngest jump Marshall at the steeplechase at Iroquois,” said Betty Mason, as she showed News 4’s crew several pictures of her daughter.

Every year it doesn’t get any easier knowing her beloved Katy is no longer physically here with her.

“Katy passed away on May 14, 2016,” said Mason.

She was introduced to drugs at the age of 15. She battled with substance abuse for a while, even undergoing rehab three times. Unfortunately, she relapsed and overdosed and died at just 20 years old.

“It just progressed into other things. It would be something like maybe I would find pills…the identification had been scratched off,” said Mason.

In November, the CDC released data showcasing that drug overdose deaths in the U.S. topped 100,000 annually. Here in Middle Tennessee, this weekend in Hermitage there were three fatal overdoses.

“They’re not just numbers, they’re people and they’re important to us,” said Brian Sullivan, an Executive Board Member with Prevention Alliance of Tennessee.

It’s an ongoing issue Brian Sullivan with Prevention Alliance Tennessee says must be addressed. Their mission is to try to reach people before addiction begins.

“For way too long we’ve wasted time and lived in a war on drugs that is pointless. This is not a criminal crisis, this is a health crisis and we need to treat it for the disease that it is,” said Sullivan.

Betty has made it her mission to volunteer her time with those who struggle with substance abuse and those who lost a loved one to it.

“In the meantime, you can’t forget the people in the middle of the battle, the people that are fighting for their lives they’re important too, and the people that we’ve lost,” said Mason.

Help is available for anyone looking for drug addiction treatment contact the Community Overdose Response Team at 615-687-1701.

The Prevention Alliance of Tennessee website is TNCoalitions.org. Anyone needing help battling a substance misuse issue can contact the Tennessee REDLINE at 1.800.889.9789.

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