LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Sunday marked National Drug Overdose Awareness Day, a sobering occasion for communities across the U.S. According to the CDC, more than 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023. In Kentucky alone, over 1,400 overdose fatalities were reported in the past year.
DV8 Kitchen, a Lexington restaurant supporting those in recovery, held an Overdose Awareness Walk to remember the lives lost and raise hope for change. The event featured resource booths, educational materials, and a symbolic display—over 13,000 flags lined the walk path, each representing a person who died from an overdose in Kentucky in the last eight years.
“We need everyone to link arms to address this issue,” shared Rob Perez, owner of DV8 Kitchen. “We've had people who worked here, and unfortunately, some didn’t stay in recovery. We lost them. We want to be hopeful and thoughtful about what happens next year—with the goal of seeing one less flag out there.”
For pharmacy student Elana Ornelas, the event was an eye-opening experience. “All three of us aren’t from Kentucky. In Kentucky, the opioid crisis is a real thing and is real prevalent. So it was eye-opening to see how impactful it is in the community,” Ornelas said.
Gary Biggers, RCC Manager at Voices of Hope, reminded attendees that even those not personally affected by opioid overdose need to understand the scope of the crisis. “If you weren’t affected by an opioid overdose or haven’t lost anyone, you might not know how big of a problem it is.”
Through community events like this, DV8 Kitchen hopes to not only honor those lost but encourage everyone to play a role in prevention, support, and recovery.
