One. Pill. Kills. (July 2024)

3rd place Meghna Memorial Winner by the Odisha Society of Americas, reuploaded unedited from back then, written at age 17 in memory of Chance Stovall

This is a difficult article of mine that I never wanted to write; please learn the lessons in this article and continue to love your family. - Ishaan Padhi, Grade 11, Age 17.

Chance Stovall

Chance Stovall is a friend I met in pre-biology camp in 2021. He was such a positive person, and he treated me with kindness. Throughout this one week, I got to know him, and we had fun during class. We formed a little friend group during break time, just vibing; he did funny things that lightened up the mood of having to learn. When school started, we still talked on Snapchat. I was there for a time, but as we went to different high schools, we slowly drifted apart as we each did our own thing within our own High Schools.

Death & Fentanyl

A few years went by, and we both had our things in life to do, so I haven't spoken to him in some time. Then, on January 29th, 2024, I hear the news. Chance Stovall, the person who treated me with kindness the second we met, was braindead. I was in shock. I never had a friend on the verge of death. I looked through our last messages from Freshman year to see what we last spoke about. I later heard that they had to pull the plug, but Chance Stovall, the kindest person he has always been, opted to become an Organ Donor when he got his driver's license. Even in death, he was able to save the lives of many people.

Everyone has probably heard of the fentanyl crisis but probably doesn't know much about it. Chance Stovall didn't either. One day, he decided to leave the house and drove to Richardson, Texas, about a 15-minute drive from where he lived in Wylie, Texas. He meets up with a drug-addicted 21-year-old, who tells him that these pills make him feel good, most likely Percocet, a relieving medication that is high risk for addiction. This 21-year-old sold these pills to a 17-year-old for $40. The 21-year-old takes a pill; it was laced with Fentanyl, but it did not affect him at all. Chance Stovall, who had never done drugs in his life; he was not a drug addict, took one. Single. Pill. He became unresponsive; the 21-year-old didn't know what to do once he realized that he was unresponsive. The police arrived at the scene later on, immediately took Chance to the hospital, and arrested the 21-year-old. The police knocked on his parent's door, telling them that Chance was in critical condition and to come to the hospital immediately.

Fentanyl is unlike any other drug in the universe. A small amount can kill you, just like that. Chance did not know there was Fentanyl in the pills.

You might ask, surely there must be something to cure victims in this condition? You'd be correct. There is something called Naloxone, otherwise known as Narcan. This medication can reverse the effects of an overdose of Fentanyl, but it must be done immediately. Otherwise, brain death follows as a result of an overdose, then death. Drug Dealers don't have Narcan lying around, as it's an illegal drug operation.

How does Fentanyl get into the United States?

There are various ways, DEA says it originates from China either using mailing services or taking the most significant route into the United States. Which is where the pill that caused death of my friend, Chance Stovall, in Mexico. As Texas is a border state, it is on a border between the United States & Mexico; somehow, Fentanyl gets across the border into the United States of America, it goes from Texas to states that border Texas, to a chain reaction, and now suddenly, Fentanyl is all around the country.

Is Fentanyl avoidable? Most of the time, yes, but sometimes, unintentional overdoses can occur. Police Officers sometimes overdose when moving evidence or an irresponsible individual leaves it around. Before Chance's death, I never fully understood the consequences of Fentanyl. Fentanyl doesn't just affect the victim but every single person around them and who knew them.

Funeral & Burial

For the first time in my life, as I am a Hindu, I went to his funeral viewing; this is where everyone lines up to view the body and say some words. I had a friend who knew him and joined me, as it was a struggle for everyone around. When my friend and I went up to the coffin, I saw his younger sister playing with his hair while he was in the coffin. She says, "I am the annoying little sister he always talked about, but at least he kissed me." She appreciated the love that her older brother gave her. I apologized to Chance, said some words, and left. The next day was his Funeral Service. I went to the venue where it was hosted and heard from his father, mother, family members of Chance, and his closest friends. A slideshow of photos from Chance from the start of his life to death was playing. He was such a happy, kind person who wanted to live his life to the fullest.

I even saw pictures of him and his former girlfriend on it, who spoke at his funeral, which we all laughed in cuteness about. Many of his family members also discussed the one thing Chance always loved to discuss: girls. He always goes up to girls and gets their Snapchat. Everyone in the room, even me, remembers that he loved doing so; Chance and I talked on Snapchat during freshman year about whether we had homecoming dates. I didn't have one and was rejected, but he got a homecoming date. I was so happy for him, and I still am. Chance's uncle told all of us three words that are so important. One. Pill. Kills. It took one pill to take away Chance Stovall from me and so many others around the one. Think about it: a single pill with the power to quickly lead someone to death.

In the customs of Chance Stovall, he wanted to be buried. One fantastic thing about this country is that so many people of different races and religions can come to respect each other's traditions and enjoy the tremendous life given to us by the gods we believe in. I wrote in the condolences book, "I will end fentanyl." That is what I wanted to do throughout all of this. I will dedicate my life to doing so and helping others just like Chance Stovall did. They took his coffin out of the vehicle and led it to his burial site. They styled his body so well, with a fantastic suit. I bought two bouquets and a condolence card and planted a tree in his name. We all saw as all the family members let the balloons go, and we all said, "Goodbye, Chance!!!". I said my goodbyes to his coffin one last time. His mother told us, "Chance would not want you all to be like this at his funeral; be happy; he would want you all to take pictures of his coffin and his funeral and share it all around social media." So we all did take pictures. I hugged his mother, who said, "I haven't hugged so many people before in my life."

Regrets

Death immediately causes one thing: regret. I had so much sadness as a result of his death. I wished I could have somehow known and stepped in to prevent him from talking to a drug-addicted drug dealer, who suffered from addiction and, for some reason, decided to deal drugs himself. I wish I could have spoken to him more and not drifted apart. I checked on him for months since Pre-biology camp, and he always told me, "Thank you." But facts help teach you things. Was Chance a drug addict? No, he never once bought drugs until that point; he was never so into drugs; he simply was curious, and that killed him.

Lessons & Solutions of the Fentanyl Crisis

Here is the truth: Chance Stovall won't suddenly come back to life again, so life can resume what it used to be. The question we all have is, what can we do about Fentanyl?

First, one pill kills, don't even take a single pill. Many people are curious to see what it is like, and Chance was too, and that killed him.

Secondly, tell your friends and family how much you love them, and try every day to be on good terms with them so you don't regret it. Be there for your friends, even those you haven't spoken to in a long time. Check up on them, no matter what. Express your love and support for your family and friends. You won't know when that day comes when you will never see, hug, or talk to that person again. What happened to the Drug Dealer who dealt Chance Stovall fentanyl? He is in jail and being charged for his crimes. I hope the highest punishment is given to him. The top dealer who dealt this deal with Fentanyl is still being searched for by the Drug Enforcement Agency & Richardson PD, and I hope this top dealer is found and prosecuted.

This is the question I asked the Governor of the State of Texas, Greg Abbott. He agrees with me that there needs to be harsher penalties for Fentanyl, which is why he signed Senate Bill 768 into law in 2021, which increased penalties for crimes involving Fentanyl, and last year, in 2023, signing House Bill 6, which allowed for people to be charged with murder for fentanyl poisoning. You might ask, how did this not prevent Chance's death? The Governor said that he is making this battle a top priority, using all resources possible to stop Fentanyl from crossing the border. I call on both members of the Democratic and Republican parties to stop playing politics and work on securing the border from Fentanyl. Chance Stovall was not a bad kid at all; he was the kindest person I have met in my life. Fentanyl is the worst thing in the world, and I ask every single person who reads this to have that conversation with each other. Be there for each other, and implement all of these tips because you will not know who the next target of Fentanyl is.

As for me, I plan to dedicate my life to ending Fentanyl, no matter how long it takes. I plan to double major in Political Science & International Relations in college, and in the future, serve in Government to help end this crisis. One thing I love about what this country offers is that it allows people of different backgrounds to befriend each other and enjoy life together. Even at his funeral, I saw an old friend and caught up with him, which is what Chance would have wanted. Fentanyl is also a universal issue in this country; no matter your race or religion, Fentanyl will kill as many people as it likes. Like me, I am proud that Chance Stovall doesn't see religion as a barrier to friendships.

To Chance Tyler Stovall, I hope you're reading this from above. I am so sorry for our drifting apart, and I hope you're proud of the work I have started to do to ensure people don't die like you did. I love you forever. ♡ 2006 - 2024