Woman battling opioid epidemic expands, says her work help saved a life in Buffalo

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we've kept our eyes on the opioid epidemic.

As numbers continue to rise, there’s a local organization working to reverse this trend.

ADDICTION.

BUT AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER TAYLOR EPPSSHOWS US -- ONE GROUP ISMAKING IT ITS MISSION -- TOTEACH OTHERS TO SAVE LIVFROM OVERDOSES.ED, KATIE -- THE PAST YEAR ANDA HALF HAS BEEN PARTICULARLYHARD FOR PEOPLE STRUGGLINGWITH ADDICTIONS.

MANY OF THEM-- AS WE'VE REPORTED IN THEPAST -- HAVE HAD LIMITEDACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THATHELPED THEM PRIOR TO COVID.AND THAT'S REFLECTED BY THENUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE LOSTTHEIR LIVES TO OVERDOSESDURING THE PANDEMIC.TAKE A LOOK -- THE NUMBER OFOPIOID RELATED DEATHS IN ERIECOUNTY -- WAS ON THE DECLINEPRIOR TO COVID.

BUT LAST YEAR-- THEY JUMPED SHARPLY --ALMOST DOUBLING THE TOTAL FOR2019.

AND THROUGH JULY 15TH OFTHIS YEAR -- THE TREND IS THESAME.

AT LEAST 86 PEOPLE HAVEALREADY DIED DUE TO OPIOIDS.BUT THERE'S A LOCALORGANIZATION WORKING TOREVERSE THIS TREND.

WE FIRSTINTRODUCED YOU TO MOBILE OPSBACK IN APRIL, SHOWING YOU THEWOMAN BATTLING THE OPIOIDEPIDEMIC FROM HER CAR.

WELLSHE'S STILL GOINGNDND TND THEND THE WND THE WORSHE'S DOING IS SAVING LIVES..DONYENN "IT WAS AMAZING TOKNOW THAT I AM THE REASON THATA PERSON THAT WAS ALMOST GONEIS STILL HERE TODAY." :10 BACKIN JUNEUP TO A PHONE CALL FROM HERNEIGHBORTT WAT WAST WAS ANT WAS AN ET WAS AN EMET WAS AN EMERGT WAS AN EMERGENT WAS AN EMERGENCYT WAS AN EMERGENCY.DONYENN "WHEN I GOT THERE THEPERSON WAS BLUE.

HE WASTURNING BLUE." :03 HERNEIGHBOR TOLD HER THIS WAS ANOVERDOSEOO SHO SHEO SHE BRO SHE BROUO SHE BROUGHO SHE BROUGHTO SHE BROUGHT AO SHE BROUGHT A BOO SHE BROUGHT A BOXOF NARCAN WITH HER DOWN TOBRIGGS AVENUE IN BUFFALO'SRIVERSIDE NEIGHBOROOD..DONYENN "ADMINISTERED ONEDOSE, WAITED 2-3 MINUTESLATER, ADMINISTERED ANOTHERDOSE, CALLED 911 AND WE WEREABLE TO SAVE THE YOUNG MAN'SLIFE." :09 STEWART HAD NEVERDONE THIS BEFOREHEHE SHE SAYHE SAYSHE SAYS SHHE SAYS SHEPICKED UP A BOX OF NARCAN INHER LOCAL CORNER STORE 6MONTHS AGO..PUT THERE BYRASHONE SCOTT- WILLIAMS FROMMOBILE OVERDOSE PREVENTIONSERVICES.

DONYENN "IT WAS THEMOBILE OPS STICKER ON THEREAND I CALLED HER.

I ONLY HADONE CUZ I USED IT ON THE GUY,SO I HAD TO GET MORE." :10SCOTT-WILLIAMS SAYS STORIESLIKE THATUSH HER TO KEEPGOING EVERY DAY.

RASHONE "WEHAVE BEEN CONTINUING OUR WORKIN THE STREETS, WE POP OUT WEGIVE SERVICES, WE GIVETRAINING." :06 WHEN WE LASTCHECKED IN WITH HER SHE WASDOING ALL THIS WORK FROM HERCARSS OFS OF MS OF MONS OF MONDAS OF MONDAY-S OF MONDAY--SS OF MONDAY--SCOS OF MONDAY--SCOTTS OF MONDAY--SCOTT-WILLIAMS NOW HAS THE KEYS TOTHE FIRST MOBILE OPS OFFICE ATTHE JAMES A DOCKERY COMMUNITYCENTER ON SYCAMORE STREET.((NATS)) RAHONE "WE'RE EXCITEDTO BE IN THIS SPACE SO WE CANBUILD UP THIS COMMUNITY ANDEDUCATE THIS COMMUNITY ONOPIOID OVERDOSE PREVENTION."HEREHEHE'LHE'LLHE'LL BEHE'LL BE WHE'LL BE WORHE'LL BE WORKIHE'LL BE WORKINGTOGETHER WITH MEMORIAL TEMPLECHRISTIAN MINISTRIES.CONTINUING HER EFFORTS TOTEACH PEOPLE HOW TO USENARCAN..

RASHONE "WE CAN SENDYOU A KIT, WE CAN COME ON YOURBLOCK AND DO A TRAINING,BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'REMOBILE." :08 WILLIAM "MOBILEOPS DEALS WITH THESE PEOPLEFROM A PHYSICAL STANDPOINT, WECAN DEAL WITH THEM FROM ASPIRITUAL STANDPOINT." AS SHEEXPANDSTHING SHE NEEDS IS FINANCIALSUPPORT.

RASHONE"I DON'T KNOWIF WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUEWITHOUT FUNDING, BECAUSEEVERYTHING WE DO IS FREE." :05SHE SAYS THAT'S THE ONLY WAYSHE CAN SAVE MORE LIVES.DONYENN "TRY IT FOR YOURSELF,TRY TO SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE!":02IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT MOBILEOPSHEY'RE ACCEPTIDONATIONS..

YOU CAN FIND THELINK TO HELP OUT ON OURWEBSITE AT WKBW DOT COM..

ANDIF YOU WANT NARCAN TRAININGLLLL YLL YOULL YOU HLL YOU HAVLL YOU HAVELL YOU HAVE TOLL YOU HAVE TO DLL YOU HAVE TO DOLL YOU HAVE TO DO ISLL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SLL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SENLL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SENDLL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEND ANEMAIL AND THEY'LL MEET YOUANYTIME, ANY PLACE.

JUST CLION THIS STORY FOR CONTACTINFORMATION..IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE ISSTRUGGLING WITH AN ADDICTITHERE ARE AVENUES TO GET HELP.ERIE COUNTY'S 24- SEVENADDICTION HOTLINE CAN BEREACHED AT EIGHT-THREE-ONE-70-OH-SEVEN -- NIAGARACOUNTY CRISIS SERVICES' PHONENUMBER IS TWO-EIGHT-FIVE-35-15.MENTALLY PREPARING YOUR KIDS