Recovering Addict Speaks Out After Rash Of Heroin Overdoses
WASHINGTON COUNTY (KDKA) -- Washington County officials say police and paramedics responded to 17 suspected drug overdoses on Sunday.
Three of the overdoses proved fatal. Police were able to revive three other overdose victims with Narcan.
A recovering heroin addict, 41-year old Jamie Kelemen, who lives in the Washington County town of Amwell, told KDKA TV's Ralph Iannotti Monday night, "I'm ashamed of who I am, and who I've become."
Kelemen said she was neither shocked nor surprised by the spike in overdoses because she has both family members and close friends who are hooked on heroin.
She said she was not ashamed to go public about her four-year addiction, "because I'm tired of living in shame, and if I can help at least one person, it would make my life worthwhile."
Kekemen says she takes life day by day, and has been clean now for just over one year.
Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone, when asked if a bad batch of heroin was the cause of the increase overdose problem, responded by saying, "it's all bad, we don't know what's in it, or where it comes from."
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