“I am a person who has survived an overdose many years ago. I also lost my partner to overdose in 2014, and continue to lose friends every year,” said Caitlin O’Neill, founder of New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition. She could’ve easily been one of the more than 2,900 New Jerseyans who died of an overdose between May 2020 and April 2021. But she was able to overcome her addiction. Across the nation, according to the CDC,  it’s far worse.

Vincent Cimilluca wasn’t as lucky as Caitlin; he lost his brother Angelo to an overdose during that time.