FAIRFAX, Va. — On his back porch in Herndon, Mark Atwood reflected on the life of his son, Christopher. Atwood said the 21-year-old left an impression on people.
"If you knew him for 15 minutes, you would never forget him," he said.
Atwood said his son was often the 'life of the party,' but capable of 'enormous empathy for people that were suffering.' This was likely a reflection of his own struggles. Atwood said his son was battling depression, which likely contributed to his addiction problems. Christopher started using heroin when he was just 15 years old.
On February 23, 2013, Christopher died from an overdose, right inside the family home.
"The overdose was a great shock to us," Atwood said. "It was very difficult obviously. We were just devastated at the time."
And yet, he said it took just days, for the family to get 'The Message.' The family launched themselves into advocacy, trying to prevent future deaths from overdoses.
The family created the Chris Atwood Foundation, an organization focused on 'harm reduction,' an approach that emphasizes keeping drug users alive and healthy long enough for them to find help. Atwood said they've saved countless lives by distributing Naloxone (Narcan), which can reverse an overdose if administered quickly.
"Sometimes we’ll come across people who will tell us," Atwood said, "'I would have been dead if not for what your organization is doing.' And that gets you.”
On Friday, the organization took another big step. The Foundation held a ribbon cutting for a brand new 6,700 square foot recovery center in Fairfax. The facility, located along Democracy Lane, will be a refuge for those battling addiction, offering the following services:
- Peer Support Groups
- Mutual Aid meetings like AA and NA
- 1-on-1 Engagement
- Direct Assistance, including the distribution of Narcan, bedding
- Training on the Administration of Narcan
The Chris Atwood Foundation first moved into the facility in June but held the formal opening on Friday. The Foundation, which started as a family effort, has jumped to 25 employees with a budget of $2.6 million.
The facility was made possible through a partnership with Anthem HealthKeeprs Plus Virginia, which offered a $150,000 grant. According to a press release from the managed care organization, a recent study in Northern Virginia found that 30% either suffer from addiction themselves or know someone who suffers from the illness.
Atwood said that it's emotional seeing so much positive action, rooted in such a tragedy.
"It sometimes strikes me rather emotionally that you can fill an auditorium with people who are alive because Christopher isn’t," he said.