JEWETT CITY -- A Connecticut mother who lost her child to heroin addiction is doing her part to shed light on this raging epidemic.
Kathleen Dufficy organized a walk to create awareness and end the stigma of drug addiction after her son Matthew Barrett passed away last November from an overdose after battling his addiction for 12 years.
"It's a pain that will never go away. It's a pain like I've never had before cause I'll never see him," said Dufficy, who believes that the best way to prevent this addiction is to educate children.
Barrett's girlfriend, Kimberley Coffey, said she also struggled with the same addiction, and she said she'll share that story with her 10-year-old son.
"I have pictures that I've put away that when I talk to my son, I'm going to show him it's a car just totaled, and I'm going to show him cause I kind of want to scare him," said Coffey.
The family believes that by showing their sons picture and sharing his story, that can help make people more aware of this addiction.
The walk will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 10 a.m. at Griswold Veteran's Memorial Park in Jewett City. It costs $10 to walk. Proceeds will go to nonprofits.
The walk was scheduled to coincide with Prescription Opioid and Heroin Awareness Week, which the president started this year.
