This is my brother Tyler 'Ty' Hughes. He was a big deal before he passed away and people continue to talk about this guy. Now, let it be known I am completely aware I'm the person who started this "Talk About Ty" movement. HOWEVER, it was for good reason. My brother was this super cool guy, 22 years old, working two jobs, trying to find his niche. You know, typical early 20's stuff. Ty lived with my parents in our childhood home. I had moved out 2 years prior. I had become a wife! Despite us not seeing each other daily were still in touch at least a few times a week. Ty and I were very close growing up. We called each other twins for we looked nearly identical; people love twins, we got free stuff constantly. (; On
May 11, 2020 my life was placed on a paralyzing hold. My mom had discoved my brother dead in his bed. He was in his sleeping position so I presume he felt no pain which is nice. Myself, mom, dad, childhood bestfriend, and husband just floated through the remainder of that morning as we waiting for the ME to get his body. I had to talk to some cops. The Oklahoma Bureau of narcotics showed up to the house and asked me a variety of questions. Ty was 22 years old, he was not an active drug user, he was not strung out nor openly exploring drugs. My brother was about to have his third shoulder surgery. He suffered a severe shoulder tear his sophomore year of high school football. He continued playing with the injured shoulder until offseason of his junior year. He passed away in May 2020, he was due for that third surgery in June 2020. Whether my brother took that pill he had got from a friend because he was in pain, he wanted some good sleep, or just because he was 22 and invincible. What he didn't know was that pill had a lethal dose of fentanyl. The medical examiner said it would have taken a minimum of two doses of Narcan nasal spray to reverse the overdose my brother was sustaining. My family, brother, and his friends had never heard of fentanyl and the dangers of it being mixed into illicitly produced drugs. I truly believe the outcome would have been different had my brother known the statistics, the risks, and the repercussions of taking a drug that might be laced with fentanyl. I would still be able to hug my 6'1" bear of a brother. For the lack of Fentanyl knowledge Talk About Ty was created. My mission is to change the narrative about overdose by Fentanyl Poisoning. A mission to inform people someone doesn't have to be an addict, junkie, or bad person to become poisoned by this. College students who have never experimented with drugs are dying from 1 tainted Adderall. Statistics are validating that fentanyl does not just target those like my brother, someone with a pretty face. Until the nation can find a way to completely annihilate illicitly produced fentanyl products all we can do is continue pushing fentanyl awareness. We need to end the stigma and quit being naive saying that people will just stop taking/experimenting with drugs. In the year 2023 we need to rise up as a nation and speak of this. Sharing knowledge is the only way we can save lives.