ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s been 18 months since Anthony Clark’s 20-year-old son, Quintenn, overdosed on heroin, and regardless that it’s tough for Clark to share his story, he does it in hopes it saves somebody’s life.

Quintenn’s battle with habit began with Xanax his senior yr of highschool, and after a while in therapy, it shortly escalated to heroin.

Clark informed Information 2 when Quintenn was in lively habit, he all the time frightened he would get a name that his son had overdosed.

On March 2, 2021, the decision got here.

Quintenn stopped respiration and was pronounced lifeless from a heroin overdose on the hospital when he was 20 years previous.

“He was my solely son, and my final identify died with him, and that’s a tough factor to take care of,” Clark mentioned.

After Quintenn’s dying, his household created the Quintenn Clark Basis which spreads consciousness in regards to the risks of medication and raises cash to ship individuals to therapy. His mother and father typically converse in faculties, sharing their story.

“If we don’t discuss it, nothing is ever going to alter,” Clark mentioned. “For me, I’ll proceed telling Quintenn’s story in hopes his story will assist any individual else. I couldn’t assist Quintenn, however hopefully utilizing his story, I can assist any individual else.”

Dr. Marshall Corridor, TriStar Skyline’s Medical Director and Chairman of Emergency Drugs mentioned the overdose-reversing drug, Narcan, or Naloxone, and consciousness are two of the primary methods to deal with and stop overdoses, which he mentioned occur day-after-day on the hospital.

Corridor informed Information 2 extra physicians are prescribing Narcan to their sufferers who’re being handled after an overdose, and the drug is now out there to the general public with out a prescription at pharmacies.

“The extra Naloxone that we are able to get out into the group, the higher,” Corridor mentioned.

Nonetheless, in accordance with Corridor, the rising variety of overdoses is a consequence to a a lot bigger downside.

“For each overdose we see, there are numerous individuals affected by opioid use dysfunction, so the extra we are able to get these sufferers into therapy, and the extra we are able to stop sufferers from even creating opioid use dysfunction within the first place, is essential,” Corridor mentioned.

In an effort to stop opioid habit, docs have began to make use of options to opioids when prescribing treatment for ache, together with ibuprofen and Aleeve, relying on the scenario.

Corridor inspired individuals to take part in drug takeback packages and switch in previous prescriptions they now not want to stop individuals from creating opioid use dysfunction.

The Quintenn Clark Basis will host a fundraiser referred to as the 2nd Annual Restoration Quest on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to five p.m. at Riverbluff Park in Ashland Metropolis. There might be meals vans, stay music, raffles, poker runs and extra. All ages are welcome.

To be taught extra in regards to the Quintenn Clark Basis or to seek out habit therapy sources, click on right here.