In a heartbreaking turn of events, a 19-year-old college freshman, Paige Gibbons, from Pittsford, New York, lost her life to a fentanyl overdose after unknowingly consuming a pill she believed to be Percocet. Paige's devastated family shared their harrowing experience in the hopes of raising awareness and preventing others from facing the same fate.

The tragedy unfolded in November 2022 when Paige and a friend decided to take what they thought was a Percocet pill at a friend's house. Little did they know that the pill was laced with 100% fentanyl. Hours later, law enforcement delivered the devastating news to Paige's family – she had succumbed to an overdose.

During the incident, Paige was accompanied by two friends, one of whom acquired the pill through a social media platform. One friend narrowly escaped death, while the other chose not to consume the pill. Paige's parents described her as trusting, perhaps too naive, and expressed their deep sorrow that this one mistake cost her life.

Paige, a driven individual with aspirations of becoming a doctor, was not a habitual drug user, as confirmed by her friends. Her family emphasized that they do not want her to be solely judged by this tragic mistake, as it was the worst she had ever made in her young life.

Now, 18 months after her passing, the Gibbons family has come forward to share their story and shed light on the widespread fentanyl epidemic plaguing the Empire State. In partnership with New York's Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Paige's story will be featured in an educational film titled "Addiction: The Next Step," aimed at addressing the fentanyl crisis and its consequences.

"I can't believe that we still hear people, you know, having this same exact situation," expressed Kate, Paige's mother. "I want to shout it from the mountaintops and make sure that everyone knows: Expect that it will happen to you; expect that you will die if you try this."

Paige's father, David, added, "It doesn't discriminate. Socioeconomically, race, religion. You take a pill, and you have the potential to die that night."

Alarming statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that in 2023 alone, 6,300 New Yorkers lost their lives to fentanyl overdoses, while the national figure stood at a staggering 74,702 deaths. Fentanyl, an opioid 50 times more potent than heroin, can be lethal even in trace amounts.

In response to the escalating crisis, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seized a record-breaking 79.5 million fentanyl pills in 2023, surpassing the total seizures of 2022 by over 20 million pills. Shockingly, laboratory testing conducted by the DEA indicated that seven out of every 10 seized pills contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. Furthermore, fentanyl's reach extends beyond opioids, posing a threat to high school and college students seeking to purchase "study drugs" online, such as Adderall.

Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, the coordinator of OASAS, highlighted the grim reality that while fewer teenagers are engaging in substance abuse, the rising number of teen overdoses is directly linked to the deadly effects of fentanyl. She stressed the dangers posed by counterfeit pills making their way into the hands of unsuspecting individuals, stating, "Fentanyl is finding its way into these pills, and that can be deadly."

Paige's untimely death serves as a tragic reminder of the urgent need for increased awareness and comprehensive strategies to combat the fentanyl epidemic, safeguarding the lives of countless individuals who may unknowingly be at risk.