WORCESTER—On a quiet stretch of lawn outside UMass Memorial Medical Center, hundreds of purple flags ripple in the late summer wind. Each stands as a symbol of a life lost — and of a community still grappling with the weight of the opioid crisis.
On Wednesday, Aug. 27, UMass Memorial Health hosts a public ceremony to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest campaign to end overdose and dismantle the stigma surrounding substance use disorders.
Caregivers, community members and advocates come together on the campus green at noon to remember those gone too soon and support those still living with grief.
Among the keynote speakers are Dr. James Faust, retired chief of anesthesia at Harrington Hospital, and his wife, Lisa. The Fausts lost their son, Adam, to an accidental overdose a little over a year ago.
Adam had been in recovery and devoted himself to helping others in crisis as an overdose prevention navigator. He once saved a man’s life by administering Narcan and performing CPR. But just a day later, he unknowingly ingested a substance laced with fentanyl and cocaine. The 31-year-old passed away, leaving behind a grieving family and a community that remembers his compassion.
“Adam gave his parachute to someone else as he died the day after he had saved another young person’s life,” Dr. Faust wrote on the nonprofit site for Adam’s Parachute, the organization he founded in his son’s memory.
Through Adam’s Parachute, the Faust family carries forward the mission Adam lived by: giving hope to those in recovery and those who support them. The nonprofit partners with local programs and providers to offer free therapeutic fly fishing experiences, a practice backed by research for its ability to ease anxiety, alleviate depression and foster mindfulness.
Standing waist-deep in a river, Dr. Faust says, urges participants to focus on the present moment — to let go of the pain of the past and the fear of what lies ahead. In that quiet, healing can begin.
At the Worcester ceremony, Adam’s story puts the spotlight on why International Overdose Awareness Day matters. For many, it’s not just an observance, but a call to action: to invest in recovery resources, to acknowledge the humanity of those struggling with addiction, and to support families navigating unimaginable loss.
UMass Memorial Health says the observance is a chance for the community — caregivers, families, and neighbors alike — to remember together. The purple flags on the campus green remain a striking reminder that behind every number is a name, a story, and a life.
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