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Families gather for Camden County overdose remembrance vigil
Families and friends from across Camden County gathered Monday, August 31, at Timbercreek Park for the Remembrance and Hope Memorial Vigil to honor loved ones lost to drug overdose.
BLACKWOOD, NJ - Families affected by drug addiction attended the 11th annual remembrance and hope memorial vigil in Camden County, coming together to honor loved ones lost to overdose, according to organizers.
What we know:
The remembrance and hope memorial vigil took place at the Camden County Remembrance and Hope Memorial in Timber Creek Park in Blackwood, New Jersey.
The event has brought grieving families together for 11 years, honoring the memories of relatives lost to drug addiction and overdose.
Michelle Pandolfo visited the memorial to see her sister's name, Ashley D. Walter, engraved on the monument.
"It says in loving memory Ashley D. Walter, forever our angel," said Pandolfo. She described finding peace at the memorial.
"It’s hard, but when I come here I just feel this sense of peace. I don’t know what it is about this little memorial thing, but we love to come here," said Pandolfo.
Pandolfo lost her sister Ashley to drug addiction in 2011 and now works in recovery after eight years of sobriety.
She brought her daughter, Ariella, to the vigil to remember Ashley.
"She was my best friend, like from the time we were little we were always together, and she was just the most amazing sweet soul," said Pandolfo.
Before the ceremony, families placed flowers beside the names of loved ones. At the end of the night, an emotional slideshow presentation showed the faces of those who lost their lives.
"It's just showing a community that comes together for our loved ones on a special day," said a participant.
The backstory:
The Camden County Board of Commissioners and the Addiction Awareness Task Force organize the vigil each year.
Patty DiRenzo, who lost her son Salvatore Marchese, serves as a program coordinator for Camden County. "He didn't want anybody to know what he was going through. He was embarrassed to tell his doctor and we have got to stop the stigma people have to realize it's a disease," said DiRenzo.
DiRenzo is committed to spreading awareness.
"I vowed the day that I lost him that I would make sure he did not die in vain and that his name will always be said, and I will share his story," said DiRenzo.
Community calls for compassion and understanding
What they're saying:
Guest speaker Therese Benyola, vice president for behavioral health at Center for Family Services, spoke to the continued stigma surrounding addiction.
"Unfortunately, we still face a lot of stigmas in our society. We have more empathy and compassion for those that have lost someone to something other than addiction. Which is wrong," said Benyola.
Benyola, who lost her brother, Christopher Waters, and her nephew, Michael Benyola, to drug overdoses, described the importance of remembering loved ones for who they were. "I think I draw from the strength of those I lost right. I think it's so important that you remember the person for who they were and not what they struggled with," said Benyola.
"You always find yourself wondering what would this person be like," a participant shared.
The event aims to support families coping with the ongoing pain of their losses and encourage the community to support one another.
What we don't know:
Details about ongoing or future prevention and support initiatives in Camden County were not provided. Information on attendance numbers and how the memorial or vigil might change in upcoming years was also not included.
The Source: Information from the Camden County Board of Commissionrs and the Addiction Awareness Task Force.