Parents who lost son to fentanyl urge students to avoid pills at Red Ribbon breakfast

Oscar and Myra Teran, parents who lost their son Matthew to a fentanyl-laced pill, told a community gathering that the drug’s presence on social media and in counterfeit pills has made everyday items deadly for young people. "Just one pill can kill you," Myra Teran said, describing the family’s loss and ongoing grief.

At the Red Ribbon breakfast, Myra Teran explained that Matthew returned home from college during the COVID-19 pandemic, showed signs she first attributed to depression, and then began to withdraw. She said she later found social-media videos showing peers using pills she suspected contained fentanyl, prompting the family to investigate further.

Oscar Teran described Matthew as an active athlete who earned a letterman jacket and a scholarship; he and his wife brought memorabilia to the event to honor him. "He was just incredible," Oscar Teran said, recalling Matthew’s social ties and athletic achievements.

Myra Teran described the personal aftermath: a year of fresh grief, diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and declining health. She said the family continues to gather to remember Matthew and to share his story in hopes of preventing future deaths.

The Terans urged young people to refuse pills and to resist peer pressure, offering practical refusal lines students can use: "Say my parents drug test me," or "I'm in sports," she said. They warned that pills bought on social media or passed among peers may be counterfeit and may contain lethal doses of fentanyl.

The family framed their public testimony as part of a prevention effort common among "angel moms"—parents who share their children's stories publicly to warn others—and thanked event organizers for providing a platform to reach students and community members.

The session closed with the moderator thanking the Terans and noting their remarks would be part of ongoing local prevention outreach.