On Overdose Awareness Day, People Remember Their Loved Ones

PITTSFIELD, MASS. (AP) – In 2021, there were 62 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County, with 33 of them happening in Pittsfield.

Pittsfield Marks National Overdose Awareness Day 2022

On Wednesday, the community observed National Overdose Awareness Day with a monument in the Common and a vigil at Park Square.

The event, organized by Living in Recovery, aims to remember people who died as a result of an overdose, shed awareness on an often stigmatized issue, and provide harm reduction and bereavement support options.

Overdose rates continue to grow, according to Program Director Julie MacDonald, who underlined the necessity of removing the stigma around substance usage.

“There’s still so much shame attached to this and so, therefore, our people in our community don’t really get to grieve properly because of the shame and stigma,” she said.

“And also that which we hide under the bushes, if the light cannot shine on it then it cannot be addressed, it cannot be changed. We can’t take any action toward it if we’re not willing to, so a big part of the awareness part of the day is to raise the awareness in the community about how we’re all affected by this, and how impacted we are by it, and to remind them of that.”

62 Placards for 62 Lives Lost

A procession was conducted from the Common to Park Square, where 62 placards representing individuals who died from an overdose in 2021 were erected at the intersection of South, North, and West streets.

MacDonald read the names of individuals whose relatives and friends wanted to pay tribute to them, and a battery-powered candle was set next to each placard.

The exhibit was a stark physical reflection of the community’s drug fatalities. In Berkshire County, there have been 374 overdose fatalities since 2010.

“We come together on this day with a range of emotions as deep and complex as those that we are remembering. Some here may have come feeling bruised by their loss and asking what you could have done to prevent it or what you could have done to lessen your loved one’s pain and suffering. For some, there is an array of mixed emotions and the futile search to understand why their loved one suffered so here on the earth and why they were taken from this earth, snatched away in the brutal arms of addiction,” MacDonald said.

“But let us remember that no matter how stalked they were by their own pain, their life also had many moments of delight and happiness, caring and friendship, sharing and love. They mattered in this lifetime and today we remind ourselves and our community of them. Today despite our pain, we stand together and we strive to find hope and healing knowing that their pain has ended.”

One couple attended the ceremony in memory of their son Matthew, who died on his 30th birthday in 2015. They also underlined the importance of de-stigmatizing the issue, claiming that overdoses had claimed far too many lives.

“We spend every year trying to celebrate him,” his mother said. “We celebrate 365 days a year but on this day, and of course on this birthday, with something special.”

Grief, Healing, and the Path Forward

National Overdose Awareness Day, observed globally each August 31, exists to remember those lost and reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths. Learn more at overdoseday.com. In Pittsfield, Larry Lake, a chaplain with Hospice of Western and Central Massachusetts, addressed the topic of bereavement.

“What you want to grieve with is the love you had for that person. To realize in your hearts, that they died knowing they were loved. They didn’t die saying ‘oh, if he only stayed a minute longer, I wouldn’t have done this,’ they died knowing that you love them and that’s what you honor in your grief,” he said.

“Because you need to be able to grieve fully and also live fully and if you’re feeling guilt over the loss as if it were anything that you could have prevented, anything you could have cured, anything you could have stopped, that gets in the way of our living for.” Lake recommended that a person does not move on from a loss, but instead takes the memories and affection of the individual with them.

About Living in Recovery

Living in Recovery, 81 Linden St., is a peer-led program founded in 2018 in memory of Joseph R. Botz.

According to MacDonald, the facility provides assistance to persons in recovery, those affected by people who use substances, and those who promote the recovery lifestyle.

“A big part of it is that socialization but also in working as a community and the peers leading it, the members leading it,” she said.

“It’s part more too of learning cooperation with others, how do we make joint decisions, and so it really sort of touches on every area of someone’s life when they are in recovery and it helps to build that skill set.”

Learn to Cope, a peer-led support group for families dealing with the addiction of another person; Support After a Death by Overdose (SADOD); and Berkshire Harm Reduction were on hand to give resources at the event.

Read next “Learn to Cope Saved My Life”: Taunton Families Affected by Opioids Meet with the Attorney General

Frequently Asked Questions About Overdose Awareness Day and Overdose Loss

What is International Overdose Awareness Day?

International Overdose Awareness Day is held every year on August 31. Led by the Penington Institute, the campaign brings communities together to remember people who died from overdose, acknowledge the grief of their families and friends, reduce stigma, and spread the message that overdose is preventable and that action saves lives.

How many people died of overdoses in Berkshire County in 2021?

Local reporting on the 2022 Pittsfield vigil counted 62 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2021, including 33 in Pittsfield, and 374 overdose deaths in the county since 2010. Organizers placed 62 placards in Park Square, one for each life lost that year, with a candle beside each one.

How does stigma make it harder for people to get help with substance use?

The CDC reports that stigma keeps people from seeking or staying in treatment, discourages some clinicians from prescribing medications for opioid use disorder, and leaves people afraid to tell loved ones what they are facing. Treating substance use disorder as a health condition, not a moral failure, helps people reach care sooner.

Where can Massachusetts families find support after a loved one’s addiction or overdose?

Learn to Cope, a peer-led nonprofit founded in 2004, supports families affected by a loved one’s substance use through chapters across Massachusetts, with in-person, virtual, and Spanish-language meetings and an online forum. Support After a Death by Overdose also offered bereavement resources at the 2022 Pittsfield vigil.

Can I get naloxone without a prescription in Massachusetts?

Yes. Massachusetts pharmacies can dispense naloxone rescue kits under a statewide standing order, so you do not need a prescription from your doctor. Pharmacies can bill insurance, including MassHealth, though a co-pay may apply. Some stores also sell naloxone over the counter, which you pay for out of pocket.

Find a Sober Living Home in Western Massachusetts

Recovery doesn’t have to be a solitary journey. If you or a loved one is ready for a stable, structured environment to support sobriety, browse certified sober living homes in our network (including options in Pittsfield and across New England) or search the national Sober House Directory. If you’re called to open a recovery home in your community, learn how to start a sober living home with Vanderburgh’s operator program.

Research & Sources

1. Foote, H. T. (2026). Vanderburgh Sober Living Operating Climate Index, 2026 edition. Vanderburgh Sober Living. https://www.vanderburghhouse.com/research/operating-climate-index-2026/
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Stigma reduction. https://www.cdc.gov/stop-overdose/stigma-reduction/index.html
3. Learn to Cope. (n.d.). About. https://learn2cope.org/about/
4. Massachusetts Department of Public Health. (n.d.). Getting naloxone from a pharmacy or store. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/how-to-get-naloxone
5. Penington Institute. (n.d.). International Overdose Awareness Day. https://www.overdoseday.com/
6. Polito, B. (2022, September 1). Community honors loved ones on Overdose Awareness Day. iBerkshires. https://iberkshires.com/story/69322/Community-Honors-Loved-Ones-on-Overdose-Awareness-Day-.html