Former mayor hopes her message can help erase addiction stigma

NASHVILLE, TN — The personal impact and destruction caused by drug addiction has affected every segment and community in this nation. Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is just another among millions whose families have been devastated by drug addiction. She’s hoping now that telling her story will help others to better handle the pain and also erase the notion that there’s a stigma attached to addicts. It’s been two years since her 22-year-old son Max overdosed. Barry has been very candid in discussing his death, and she’ll be a keynote speaker Saturday along with Dr. Stephen Lloyd at the International Overdose Awareness Day Rally. The event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nashville Recovery Center and will feature musical performances, along with a free lunch. Participants are invited to create a special memorial wall with a personalized message of hope and remembrance. “Oh, I miss my child. Every day there is something that will touch my heart, will remind me about Max,” Barry told WKRN-2 during an interview this week. When viewing a photo of her son holding hands with his father and another children Barry has poignant memories. “He’s probably four, and I think about Max...