Bullitt County family joins solutions-based fentanyl conversation in Louisville's Russell neighborhood

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A solutions-based conversation about fentanyl took place in Louisville's Russell neighborhood Tuesday evening, drawing appreciation from a Bullitt County family who is all too familiar with the opioid's deadly impact.

For Laura and George Thurman, drug prevention is a mission to save others from the pain they've experienced.

"It's very difficult. She passed away a year ago," said Laura Thurman. "She was going through some sort of depression, we think."

The Thurman's daughter, Morgan Lewis, died from a fentanyl overdose in February 2022.

"And she went to a house and they had cocaine there, and she decided to try and experiment, try the cocaine, and it was laced with fentanyl," Thurman said. 

Their 23-year-old daughter, they said, had no idea.

"She was just a good girl that made a terrible decision that ended her life," said Thurman. 

It's a decision that the family talks about with others on a regular basis. 

"It's important to have these real conversations," said Shameka Parrish-Wright.

Parrish-Wright is the executive director of nonprofit VOCAL-KY. They gathered at the Louisville Central Community Center in the west end with seven other organizations Tuesday evening to discuss solutions.

Last year, at least 2,100 people died of a drug overdose in Kentucky, according to the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC).

Drug overdose deaths in Kentucky fell by 5% in 2022, offering a sign of hope that treatment efforts are relieving an addiction epidemic that remains a public health crisis, Gov. Andy Beshear said last week, citing KIPRC's numbers. But VOCAL-KY claims those numbers are premature, adding that it's "too soon to say if Kentucky's overdose deaths have actually declined."

"My fear is that we report those numbers too soon, they will start to pull back on what we've, we've all worked together to reduce some of the red tape, so that people can save lives and that lives can be saved," said Parrish-Wright.

When questioned about a discrepancy by VOCAL-KY in those overdose numbers reported last week, Beshear's office pointed WDRB to the numbers released by KIPRC, without addressing any possible differences in numbers. They did say the 2022 Kentucky Drug Overdose Report would be released in the coming weeks, and will "include additional data on the number of drug overdose deaths by county and various demographics."

"Our state government and federal level can only do so much," said Parrish-Wright. "It's the community and the groups on the ground that help push through services and care. We just want to save lives."

In August, the Thurmans created a nonprofit in their daughter's memory, called Morgan's Mission.

"I feel like our family is no one special. It could happen to anybody. Fentanyl does not discriminate," said Laura Thurman. "So by spreading and telling her story, we just pray that we're saving other people."

The work doesn't stop with community conversations. Morgan's Mission plans on continuing their outreach in schools throughout Bullitt County.

For more information about Morgan's Mission and to get involved, click here.

For more information about VOCAL-KY and how to get involved, click here. 

Related Stories: 

• Mt. Washington organization bringing awareness to fentanyl poisoning
• Beshear: Drug overdose deaths fell in Kentucky in 2022

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