From Grief to the Governor’s Table: Fentanyl Awareness at the Highway Safety Summit
- Matthew Boone
- May 19
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 10
When Jill Cichowicz lost her twin brother Scott to fentanyl, she had no idea that her story would someday resonate from a podium at the Virginia Highway Safety Summit. But this past May, that’s exactly what happened.
Invited by Brandy Brubaker, Director of Highway Safety Strategy at the Virginia DMV, Jill stood shoulder to shoulder with state leaders like Dr. Colin M. Greene, Special Advisor on Opioid Response, and Marcus R. Anderson, Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Together, they addressed an often-overlooked crisis: the intersection of substance use and road safety.
It was a room full of decision-makers, officers, advocates—and Jill’s voice broke through the statistics, sharing the human side of what fentanyl leaves behind. She told Scott’s story not as a case study, but as a brother, a friend, and a life cut short. That story turned heads. It stirred hearts. It reminded everyone why this work matters.
While Virginia has recently seen a decline in overdose deaths, the summit was a reminder that progress doesn't mean the fight is over. Fentanyl is still claiming lives. It's still showing up on our streets, in our schools, and yes, even behind the wheel.
By bringing substance use into the broader conversation around public safety,
the summit expanded what prevention can look like. Advocacy isn’t just about what we say—it’s about where we say it. And this time, it was said in a room where change happens.
We’re grateful for the opportunity—and even more determined to keep showing up. Because awareness saves lives. And every story told is a life remembered.
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