WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Matthew Wright should have been enjoying his last summer before going off to Texas State University to study psychology.
Instead, a little over a month ago, the 18-year-old and youngest of three died of fentanyl poisoning.
His family said he passed unexpectedly at their home in Cedar Park. He had aspirations to help other young people with their mental health, as he had struggled himself.
On Tuesday, the nonprofit Texas Against Fentanyl (TXAF) will host an awareness panel in his honor.
It’ll be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at City Reach Church off Hatch Road. The Community Fentanyl Awareness Panel will have members from the Cedar Park Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Bluebonnet Trails Community Services, and Rise Recovery speaking.
“This panel will educate parents, family members, school faculty and anyone who wants to listen, in regards to the dramatic uptick of youth deaths in both Texas and the United States,” the event information page said. “So many adults remain unaware of how big this problem has truly become and how to handle it. Many parents are still in the dark on Fentanyl in general and even more so on how to address this issue with their child directly.”
There will be a number of questions the panel will answer in an open community discussion:
- What is fentanyl?
- Where is it found?
- How should I approach my kid on this subject?
- What are warning signs?
- What is naloxone and how/when should I use it?
- Where can I find naloxone?
- What should my school be doing in regards to this subject?
This story will be updated by Reporter Jala Washington.