During my recent birthday, my wife, Laura, and I spent the morning and afternoon at the University of Denver. We attended the “Gifting Gathering” for the Into Light Project. We had a small part in sponsoring and bringing the project to Colorado. The exhibit opened Aug. 31, 2023, and moved around the campus in three locations for viewing and contemplation.
I worked in addiction recovery and relapse for many years and experienced my fair share of trauma and grief. Removing the stigma of addiction and accidental overdoses from fentanyl is really something I want to shine a light on, so those who need it can get the quality treatment they deserve for their illness.
Art Activism in the purest sense
People with addiction continue to be blamed for their disease, which prevents 90 percent of those with substance use disorder (SUD) from seeking help. Into Light Project is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the conversation about drug addiction.
Public exhibitions around the country displaying original portraits and individual stories of people who have died from the disease of drug addiction provide communities with an opportunity to talk about the issue of stigma, the primary obstacle to getting support and treatment for those with SUD and their families.
Into Light Project is art activism in the purest sense. It puts a face and a story to our loved ones who passed too suddenly and unexpectedly.
It was an emotional gathering that Saturday afternoon. Family members were given the portrait of loved ones and the opportunity to share stories about their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and friends. These loved ones — these human beings — were good people with hopes, dreams and aspirations.
The power of love in hearing their stories and seeing the beautifully drawn human faces is something I will always be grateful to have witnessed. We shared mostly tears, but a bit of happiness emerged at the end as one man came up to the podium and expressed his joy in being able to bring his sister home that day.
In Colorado alone, 1,799 people fatally overdosed in 2022. The number of fentanyl-related deaths quadrupled between 2019 and 2021. More Coloradans died after ingesting fentanyl in 2022 than overdosed on all drugs in 2016.
Colorado has spent millions to distribute naloxone, which is used to reverse opioid overdoses, and lawmakers passed a bill to provide free doses to a broader group of entities, including schools. Lawmakers also set aside several hundred thousand dollars to buy fentanyl test strips.
We must change the conversation about drug addiction and the trauma and pain it creates for all of us. I believe this portrait of Devon drawn by Theresa Clower, founder of the organization, and narrative by Barbara Francois will move you as much as it did Laura and me.
To learn more about the project: intolightproject.org
Caring, athletic, bright, witty, attractive
November 13, 1985-February 4, 2018-Age 32
At 6’2”, Devin was lanky, handsome, and a natural athlete. Equally at home on a skateboard, snowboard, or when surfing, he was a pleasure to watch; so fluid and graceful. He was a good soccer and baseball player and loved hiking in nature or being at the beach, especially on the annual family beach trips to Hatteras in North Carolina.
More than anything Devin loved being with his family. He was full of life and brought joy and fun to every get-together. He liked clowning around and was often the center of attention. The biggest mark he made in life was the close relationship he developed with his four nieces and nephews. He would virtually become a child with them, playing endlessly. Even when it was obvious Devin was worn out, he wouldn’t say no to connecting with the kids.
When asked if he ever thought about having kids, he said “Not sure that’s going to happen.” It was as if he suspected he might not get his life together enough to do so.
As a teenager, Devin was a camp counselor for young children and later attended an experimental school in Colorado with an Outward Bound-type program. He responded well to the physical challenges and thought of being an instructor, but at 20 he was “high-jacked by his opioid addiction,” his dad Joe said.
“He set high standards for himself and needed to be perfect, drugs gave him the feeling of worth. He would catch a glimpse of his passion at times, but he just couldn’t find his footing.”
During Devin’s active addiction, everyone in the family rallied around him. As his dad put it, “Tough love could have been fatal love.” So, they loved him unconditionally and tried everything they could to help him overcome his substance use addiction for the 12 years it had a hold on him.
“He always knew he was loved,” his mother said. Devin had just been in rehab and drug-free for 50 days; he was recovering his self-esteem and feeling good about himself. He had a date and got anxious and went to what he knew to calm his nerves. He passed away from an accidental overdose of drugs containing fentanyl.
There is now a hole in the family that everyone is aware of, especially during family gatherings. Joe said, “It is the sadness that lingers, like a wet blanket restricting you, but then you remember the joyous times and get some relief. Devin was a good kid, we always knew that. I don’t think he always did.”
Devin’s father, Joe Bearden, provided the information for this narrative.
