With opioid overdoses claiming the lives of more than a hundred Massachusetts residents every month since 2015, Boston — like cities around the world —observed International Overdose Awareness Day Thursday.
Angela Kelly's brother overdosed and died last year. He was 35. She spoke at the interfaith ceremony at City Hall plaza to remember him — and to give encouragement to people trying to recover from opioid addiction.
"You are more than your addiction," Kelly said. "An overdose does not define the lives of those we've lost. More than any label that has been attached to you or to our loved ones, or the stigmas that haunted them, I know all of the people that we remember today were people who we loved dearly and will always love."
Kelly remembered her brother as a deep thinker, with a big heart and a sensitive soul, and she urged those attending the ceremony to work together to end the opioid epidemic.
"Together, let us raise our voices and break the silence," Kelly said, "telling our stories to stop stigma and ensure that sufficient services are available to all. We can cultivate empathy, release judgment, share resources, and lift up hope."
Mayor Marty Walsh also spoke, emphasizing that addiction is a disease, and that reducing stigma is essential in reducing overdose deaths.
