Fentanyl crisis: Golf fundraiser unites strangers, honors loved ones
SUSSEX, Wis. - A Waukesha County family is taking a swing at the epidemic on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. They are doing it at a golf course where every hole is a reminder of the lives lost.
Caden Rachwal is not a golfer.
"I golf with my friends for fun, occasionally," said Caden.
Caen is out on the course on Monday with his best friend close to his heart.
"Losing your sibling is something that's unlike any other type of loss, in my experience," Caden said.
Caden's older brother, Logan, died on Valentine's Day in 2021 from fentanyl poisoning. The Rachwals started the Love Logan Foundation to raise awareness about fentanyl. This golf outing is their inaugural fundraiser.
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Logan
"It tears the family apart – there's a lot of strife and destruction that comes from that," said Rick Rachwal, Logan's father.
"This is not just a Logan "thing" – this is a crisis our nation is just exploding with," said Erin Rachwal, Logan's mom.
At each hole, the Rachwals put up a picture of someone who overdosed. Joining Caden on the green is a man who knows what it's like to lose a brother.
"A lot of times, we struggle to remember our brothers," said Tom Farley. "That was my biggest fear when Chris died."
Comedian Chris Farley died in 1997 from a heroin overdose.
"I thought how much worse – that's got to be the worst thing possible. And here are: there's a deadlier drug killing at a much higher rate," said Farley. "We're in a much worse place."
Bev Kelly-Miller honors Wisconsinites who have died because of substance use disorder with quilts. Since she started seven years ago, she has made 20 of them.
Kelly-Miller quilts
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"I don't want people to forget that they lived; they are loved and greatly missed," said Kelly-Miller.
With the money raised at this event, there's hope the Rachwals can keep other siblings together and out of a brotherhood no one wants to be a part of.
"When someone else is like, 'Oh, I understand what you're feeling,' You want to be like, no, you don't," said Caden.
The Rachwals plan to use the money raised to help increase their speaking engagements throughout the state.
Logan Rachwal
Waukesha County declared fentanyl a community health crisis last year. 2022 statistics are expected to be released in just a few weeks. A spokeswoman for the county executive's office said the number of deaths has decreased.