MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Leslie Smith has been on the road since March traveling across America with hundreds of angels.
“I talk to them at night, I talk to them as I’m driving," said Smith. "It’s an honor that their parents trust me driving around with their children on there.”
Smith is 5,000 miles into his Angels Across America Drug Epidemic Awareness Ride. He drives a van covered with more than 300 pictures of people who died due to drug overdose. He began his trip from his home in Florida in honor of his son, Jeremy, who passed away in 2013.
“He got a pill with whatever, the toxicology report says morphine, but that was 2013 when they weren’t checking for fentanyl," said Smith. "This is why I do that.”
Smith stopped in Lower Allen Township to meet Team Sharing-PA, another nonprofit group of parents who have lost a child to a drug overdose. Erika Shambaugh, who has pictures of her sons Austin and Josh on the van, said the ride helps unite grieving families.
“If we don’t have groups, and people aren’t getting our names out there, connecting and teaching each other like this person can help you with this, we’re going to continue losing kids and parents," said Shambaugh.
Smith said the ride is for families to connect and help each other through the grieving process. He adds that the ride will continue to raise awareness about the rising fentanyl crisis.
“Don’t ever say, ‘Not my child.’ Because it could be today," said Smith. "When Jeremy died, there was only 70 [people dying from drug overdose] a day, and now it's 300 a day."
“If we don’t help the people who are suffering, this is just going to keep steamrolling," said Shambaugh.
