In New York State there’s a next of kin list that authorizes a person 18, the rights to make funeral arrangements. Funeral Director, McMeans says:
(McMeans)
Sometimes eighteen year old nineteen year olds are making funeral arrangements for parents
(Bruin)
Young adults can sometimes be blindsided by the overdoses especially if they’re unaware that a family member is a user.
(McMeans)
The child was out visiting friends or doing college tours or anything like that came home and found them dead at home and had been dead for quite a while from and opioid overdose
(Bruin)
Fentanyl is synthetic opioid that’s responsible for many deaths and can be laced into many other drugs.
(McMeans)
So people think they’re buying one thing and they’re getting this laced Fentanyl and that’s what’s killing everyone
(Bruin)
I’m Robert Bruin…, N-C-C News.
By Robert Bruin SYRACUSE, N.Y.(NCC News)- Funeral Director Marika McMeans of Miller Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc. in Rochester, N, has helped many people with funeral arrangements for their loved ones. The opioid epidemic in Central New York is affecting their entire community, she said. The overdoses aren’t subject to certain age, but it’s affecting everyone.
“Some families I connect with more than others so some families I keep for a long time after the funeral because they need more emotional support, ” said McMeans.
McMeans work has impacted her to keep her family and friends aware of the danger of drugs.
” We are working as Funeral Directors Association to plan a Opioid Awareness Day. To support the lost of loved ones and increase drug awareness and substance abuse,” said McMeans.
