Local mom shares story of son's death to raise awareness for DEA Drug Take Back

Megan LaDue lost her 19-year old son, Wade, to illegally manufactured fentanyl. She will share her family’s heart-breaking story on April 25 at 11:30 am at a press conference at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital so that others are aware of the hidden dangers in prescription drugs. She will be joined by the Anti-drug Alliance, State Attorney Suzy Lopez, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and HCA Florida Brandon Hospital staff to increase awareness and save lives. In the U.S., 200 people die per day from drugs laced with fentanyl.

Wade was an excellent gymnast and naturally gifted musician and singer. He was also a beloved son and older brother. Starting in middle school, he started to struggle after a family loss and began using marijuana and Xanax to cope. Wade had amazing windows of recovery and his family cherished that time, but trauma caused him to spiral into addiction.

When Wade was found unconscious, “He had enough Fentanyl in his system to kill six people accordingly to the toxicology report,” shared his mom. He had been resuscitated and had close calls in the past due to drug addiction, but this time he didn’t survive.

“It was never going to happen to me. Now, I have to live with it,” said LaDue. “I want to encourage people to have compassion for people struggling with addiction. It is a disease.”

When: April 25 at 11:30 am

Where: Children’s Emergency Entrance, HCA Florida Brandon Hospital

Who: Dr. Kirk Szustkiewicz, Emergency Physician and ER Medical Director

Ellen Snelling, Anti-drug Alliance

William Stockman, DEA Miami Field Division Diversion Program

Suzy Lopez, State Attorney

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

Media are encouraged to attend, so that the community can prepare to bring these medications for disposal on April 26. Law enforcement and volunteers will host the DEA Drug Take Back Day at Brandon Hospital at the same location as the press conference on April 26, 10:00am – 2:00pm.