🖤 Black Balloon Day: Honoring Lives Lost & Raising Awareness About Fentanyl Poisoning 🖤

What Is Black Balloon Day?

March 6th is Black Balloon Day—a day to remember those we have lost to fentanyl and opioid poisoning. Across the world, people are displaying black balloons, lighting candles, and sharing stories to honor their loved ones and spread awareness. Before January 2022 I had never even heard of Black Balloon Day.

And then I learned exactly what it is.

Now this day is deeply personal. I lost my son, Garet, to fentanyl. His life was stolen by something he believed could not hurt him—and thousands of others who were unknowingly poisoned just in the past two years alone!

Fentanyl is not just a drug problem. It’s a silent killer hiding in counterfeit pills, laced into substances, and taking lives in a split second. And today, we remember. We speak out. We fight to make sure more families don’t know this pain.

💔 The Reality of Fentanyl: What You Need to Know

💀 Fentanyl is 50x stronger than heroin and 100x stronger than morphine.
💀 It only takes 2 milligrams—the size of a few grains of salt—to be deadly.
💀 Most people don’t even know they’re taking it–especially those who are new to it. One pill CAN kill and it’s being mixed into fake prescription pills like Percocet, Oxycodone, and Xanax, as well as cocaine, heroin, and has even been found in small amounts on marijuana.
💀 This is not an overdose crisis—it’s a poisoning epidemic. Many of these deaths aren’t from intentional drug use, but from people unknowingly ingesting fentanyl.

Fentanyl doesn’t care who you are. It has taken high school students, athletes, parents, working professionals—good people who thought they were taking something safe. It has take babies and toddlers who didn’t know any better and ingested it.

This is why we need awareness. This is why we need change.

🚨 Signs of Fentanyl Poisoning & What to Do

Fentanyl poisoning happens fast. If someone is experiencing an overdose, every second counts.

🔴 Signs of Fentanyl Poisoning:
✔ Slowed or no breathing
✔ Pale, blue, or cold skin
✔ Unresponsive or unconscious
✔ Pinpoint pupils
✔ Gurgling or choking sounds

⚡ What to Do If You Suspect an Overdose:
1️⃣ Call 911 immediately. Stay with the person.
2️⃣ Administer Narcan (Naloxone) if available—it can reverse fentanyl poisoning within minutes. NOTE: Narcan gives the patient 30 minutes. If they have not received medical care in that time they can overdose again!
3️⃣ Try to wake them up by shouting their name or rubbing their sternum.
4️⃣ Perform rescue breathing if they are not breathing.
5️⃣ Stay with them until help arrives. (yes, I did say that twice.)

Carrying Narcan can save a life. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever need it, having it could mean the difference between life and death for someone else. Even though they may not be your child, they are someone elses.

🖤 How You Can Help Fight This Crisis 🖤

Fentanyl is taking lives at an alarming rate—but there are things we can do.

✔ Talk to your kids, family, and friends. Make sure they know that one pill can kill.
✔ Never take medication that isn’t prescribed directly by a doctor or pharmacy.
✔ Learn about Narcan (Naloxone) and carry it with you.
✔ Support harm reduction programs that provide education and access to life-saving tools.
✔ Share stories like Garet’s. Awareness saves lives. 💜

💜 Today, We Remember. Today, We Take Action.

Black Balloon Day is not just about grief—it’s about action. It’s about making sure that no more families have to go through this unimaginable pain. It’s about fighting for awareness, education, and change.

Today, I remember Garet.
Today, I remember every single life lost to fentanyl poisoning.
Today, I speak out—because if this message reaches just one person in time, it could save a life. At least then my sons death wont be in vain.

💜 If you’ve lost someone to fentanyl, drop their name below. Let’s remember them together. You are not alone.

Love and Light ~Mandy

Stormeyes Enchanted