DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — The Triad is facing a drug crisis. The state department of health and human services says over 4,000 people died in our state from overdose in 2021 alone.
While there are many struggling, there are also many more committed to helping.
"We can save one life whether its a week a month a year," Mike Loomis said.
News 2 spoke with Mike Loomis of Davidson County using his experience to help those affected by drug addiction.
"If I can get them food, clothes get them into counseling get them into detox 30-day program a year, we’ve done what we can as human beings," Loomis said.
His passion sits near to his heart since their son died from an overdose in 2021.
"I went from the angry stage and the hurt stage to the stage now, a goal in my life to stop another child, a young person dying," Loomis said.
After the death of his son, Loomis held an event in 2022 to help raise awareness. More recently, he's helped 15 to 20 people in and outside of the Triad to try and transform their lives.
"The numbers may not be big to people who may view this but that’s big to the person we are helping and their family members," Loomis said.
One Davidson County man knows firsthand what it's like to receive support from Loomis.
"He’s bent over backward," Buddy Torrence said.
Torrence told News 2 his 25-year-old granddaughter has been struggling with drugs for 7 years.
Loomis has helped get her into services like rehab and mental counseling.
"It takes people like Mike to go out and reach down to the gutter and pull them out and let them know you are important, you are somebody special," Torrence said.
The fight to keep her in the right direction is ongoing, but Loomis says he's never going to give up on her.
"I don't want Buddy to look down in a coffin and see his grandbaby like I did my son," Loomis said.
Loomis encourages parents with loved ones of drug addiction to immediately get them into an outreach program and to educate themselves on signs and symptoms.