FENTANYL KILLS: Zachary Willis' Story

A mother, Rhonda Willis, shares her story of losing her 27-year-old son to fentanyl in this documentary about the dangers of illicit drugs. To use this presentation at high schools or other educational applications, contact Texas Pictures through our website at www.texas-pictures.com.
Naloxone, the active ingredient in 4mg Narcan and higher dose 8mg Kloxxado, along with many generic versions, can reverse an opioid overdose if administered quickly enough. Some areas have Naloxone available for free. Google it.
In the U.S., you can easily access 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat to connect with a caring counselor.
Learn more about the dangers of illicit fentanyl at:
DEA - www.dea.gov/fe...
CDC - www.cdc.gov/st...
Fentanyl Fathers - fentanylfather...
Texas Health and Human Services - www.hhs.texas....

[@esmith4646]

These videos always hit so hard. Reminds me of why I have to keep fighting addiction.

[@Pretti_Lucky]

You got this!!💖💖💖💖

[@cherryjohnson6632]

You got this 🙌🏾

[@CherylMcAnally-b2w]

Be strong....watch videos of the skin eating disease... 😢

[@glowinthadark]

I pray that you give your whole heart and everything in your life to the Lord.. if you die of an overdose in sin you know you can't ask for forgiveness and no sin will enter in😢 please change your life! love yourself.. I believe in you❤

[@MaryButeau-cq8cb]

​@glowinthadark thankyou for speaking this truth. Amen & amen

[@smithwesson6620]

I’m 2 years clean from fentanyl but letting it go was not easy but I still did it from the muscle, No treatment, no meds, no nothing.i show these videos to my 3 kids 15,14,and 12. I make sure they actually watch and pay attention and understand the hurt drugs put people through.

[@7h7o7p]

Oh, a wise man here! Keep it up. Tell em there's one more here who thinks kids who trash drugs are superheroes!

[@MichelleKluk-pw9nh]

Congratulations Stay Strong 🎉💙🎉

[@Babygirl_2008]

So happy your clean

[@adonyisrael1724]

If I may ask, how were you able to survive fentanyl? I heard a Dr explain to Nancy Grace when those 3 Kansas City Chief fans were found dead outside their friend’s home that 3-4 grains of salt, that much fentanyl is LETAL! So how did you survive? 🤔

[@samanthaorologio6866]

My plans exactly. I honestly. CANNOT. FREAKING. BELIEVE. You pulled yourself out like you described. I just can’t even imagine. I never made it up that high but just below. And I couldn’t even quit that without MAT. so I’m incredibly proud of and impressed by you doing so. That is amazing. A near impossible feat. Truly. And I imagine a lot of it was from the deepest depths of a father’s heart that made you initiate it and helped you make it all the way out. You should be so so so proud of yourself. Can I ask, quitting that way, from fentanyl, how long was the period from day one without any to the point where you could wake up and feel physically able and normal and even happy to face the day and find happiness in things throughout life again? How BAD was the illness through WD in comparison to h? Pills? (Assuming you started with one or both of those and didn’t just start with straight fentanyl?)

[@TimeWithTash]

My mom was a crack addict for over 20 years which resulted in my 5 siblings and I being raised b grandparents. I recall as a child being terrified of the consequences to my moms actions as an addict. I’ve grown up with a lot of trauma but I’m so thankful that today she is clean and has recovered, if she were still a user during this epidemic I’m sure she wouldn’t be here. Thank God. 😭❤️🙏🏽 prayers and all of my love to everyone on each side of this unfair battle. May the families be strengthened and those struggling be healed. All of my love, Tash ❤️💓😭 love you all.

[@protectyourself33]

Just about everyone I know who has died of an overdose, did so after a period of sobriety. This is something that must be stressed to all people in recovery.

[@Babygirl_2008]

Same here 🙏

[@jrpacer6355]

A coworkers son just died from a overdose after being clean for 3 years my coworker is heartbroken

[@rachel9120]

Yes!!! I was fixin to say the same thing!!! & Idk why these police use these outlandish innacurate terms that they tell the families & public like "he had enough in his system to kill 20 ppl". I guess 1 fent pill is how they measure enough to kill 20 ppl. He had been clean. He had zero tolerance to a very strong 💊 & he OD'd. This past Sept I went to a treatment program bc I had been doin the fent pills for over 2 yrs straight. I was getting pulled over & knew I had a warrant so I knew I was gonna go to jail. I had 9 fent pills on me & 4 Klonopin. I swallowed all of them so that I wouldn't get a trafficking charge. I was also borderline suicidal but I knew I had a high tolerance and most likely wouldn't OD. & I didn't. I was just really high. So how would they measure how much was in my system to kill how many ppl? Ya know?!

[@jasoncammeyer757]

It does happen a lot, but with the amount of fentanyl that was in the pill he took, it wouldn't have mattered.

[@milena7043]

I'm so glad that Texas Pictures Documentaries started these videos. I've learned so much, and I'm very grateful. God bless you @Texas Pictures Documentaries 🙏

[@TexasPictures]

🤗

[@melindanunez9903]

Parents are always the last to know especially when it’s the golden child or a parent admits it was the favorite. I feel for this lady’s daughter, children are never “the bad one”. Seems like he trying to find himself away from pressure or expectations. A lot of times a parent is so understandably angry, hurt or blind that they will blame others. Grief therapy works.

[@SFNena415]

I agree. It seemed the children knew that and stuck together. How incredibly sad for this families loss.

[@garyh5541]

Yet again! RIP Zachary! Prayers for all who love you 🙏🙏🙏

[@chantelleemery5364]

I really want to hear the daughters perspective. 💔

[@millenniumtowerskelton5143]

There is so much more to this story. Ma’am you have grandson in high school? From your daughter? Who is a drug addict? I am not judging. But, your story does not make sense in a many events you are speaking. I am so happy that you found the time to get married and be ok. No judgement. I wish Zacharys story was told better. Rest in Peace Zachary……

[@diaslamure6048]

I’m so sorry for your loss. No mother should go through that. May God give you strength. This is really heartbreaking. He will never be forgotten. ❤❤🪷🌷🌼

[@handmadeheartears]

These stories are all just as heartbreaking as eachother. Sending love to all of the families affected by this and those still in active addiction/recovery journeys. You’re worth the fight ❤

[@marymiles9922]

So sorry for the loss of your son. 💔I know that pain.

[@melmack2003]

I found rhis story ro be very hard to decipher.

[@yaraviera4444]

My prayers for anyone going through this..

[@5ShotProductions]

And yet again it happened… I almost got this episode finished without tears in my eyes, but when the part with the marriage of Zachary‘s mum came up I couldn’t keep it together anymore 🥹 But first of all a huge thank you to Zachary‘s mum for telling his story, to Glen and his lovely team at „Texas Pictures Documentaries“ and to the „new“ husband and huge support of Zachary‘s mum for being their in the right moment(s). The in my eyes only good thing maybe that Zachary didn’t suffer and that he was at a place which he loved and enjoyed. But his death was, like any other Fentanyl Poisoning related death, more than unnecessary and kind of unfair tbh. He seemed to be a very nice and caring man and, me being also be able to let plastic plants die, I always admire people who have the ability to let (plastic) plants not die. That he was poisoned and had enough Fentanyl in his system to fatally poison 20 people is insane to me. And by the way, the complete story with his phone, unbelievable! I really hope and wish that Zachary’s wife will have to face Karma for whatever she did or did not do with his phone… Again, Thank you @Glen and Zachary’s mum for telling us the story about her lovely and way too early gone son, he will be missed dearly. All the best from Germany 🇩🇪, Philipp

[@atlashand]

I hope she is inspired to step in and help her daughter again/more. So sorry this family went through Zachary's loss. Let's remember him by supporting survivors who can be saved, turned around! Instead of the daughter being the troublemaker that the son was reassuring he wouldn't be anything like, the son that was babied in early years from his asthma, who felt he had to ask permission to leave football because of his mom's overwhelming support, the son who could accept rental payments, exceed them, apologize, and then ask for them again later in life and be trusted again. Hopefully the daughter can get support further, because if she knew things about their use, she was covering for her brother's "perfect" image, or didn't feel comfortable enough to go to mom about it. It's even mentioned how daughters stick around, but sons, you have to try to keep in touch around the new wife, I understand especially in this wife's case. Don't assume daughters stick around. Many, especially oldest ones, do only due to trauma. Or seek substance to cope with it. You have a living child!! Mourn WITH her, and learn from the signs. If she has had substance problems longer than he ever did, she could have died years ago, long before this, from her span of exposure!!!! Scary world out there. Peace and love to all

[@chiaratardiola]

I'm really sorry for your loss but this is the most inappropriate storytelling I've seen on this Channel. Putting on the spot so many people (including your own daughter who is clearly someone who is struggling) who aren't really relevant to the story is just a poor choice. How is it relevant the he (allegedly) told you "thank you for putting up with the in laws, they can be a lot"? I hope you choose to cut back on gossip in the future. I respect your sorrow, I'm truly sorry and I'm not even suggesting that you made it up but in any case there were so many inappropriate parts that I really feel should have not been shared.

[@mariamaldonado8937]

My heart breaks for you,i couldn't imagine loosing my son but just remember he's watching you from heaven and im sure you will save lives,by doing what you're doing and i pray you get some kind of justice god is also watching😢

[@CatherineCarr-s4f]

I am so sorry for yor loss. Your son was not just taking pills for his back. He was an opioid addict. It only takes one pill to kill. Please stop making assumptions about his wife. You are looking for someone to be responsible. All you will do is drive yourself insane. I am so sorry for your pain

[@Oceaneyes-eh6vs]

It's sad and tragic that you lost your son. Your son's wife also lost her husband. Dogging on her the few times that you did, here in this place, doesn't seem appropriate.

[@hollydaugherty2620]

Losing someone doesn't make you immune to criticism of your behavior and actions.

[@millenniumtowerskelton5143]

Wow, it must be so horrible for this Mama to have two children addicted to opiates. I am so sorry for the loss of your son. Please try to save your daughter. Prayers for your family.🙏🏻❤️

[@kathymartin3527]

Its so easy to second guess yourself about not noticing this or that ..Although Im lucky my kids stayed away from drugs ..Ive found out things about them I had not known ..just by accident or discovery ..I thought I knew my kids 100 percent..Im so sorry for your tremendous loss ...Your son seemed like a wonderful young man..Im happy that he was able to witness the beauty of the mountains ..and I hope your daughter is doing better along with your grandson❤

[@glcmranger421]

Interesting: A Dallas County jury sentenced a man to 30 years in prison last week (April 4th) in the county’s first prosecution under a new Texas law mandating harsher penalties for dealing fentanyl.

[@alisonp3398]

So many of these videos have the same thing in common, the phones. There must be a better way to get access to information on them so we can prosecute the people pushing these pills. RIP Zachary ❤. Please continue to watch over your sister and help her with her sobriety 🙏

[@TheGrayGrey]

My birthday is May 22nd, my mother died of a fentanyl overdose. This mother's story gave me chills. I am so sorry she lost her son. I finally had a dream about my mother and she was pulling my leg telling me to "get up." It was so real. Every morning I tell myself to GET UP! I pray she has this dream experience about her child one day. A dream that only God can send. My mother looked absolutely healthy and beautiful.....at peace. ❤

[@StephanieCagg-vr1if]

I almost lost a daughter to this I am so happy that I didn't lose her over this

[@Globelle]

I am so sorry for your profound loss. Prayers to you and your family

[@bennyblanco3115]

I USE PAIN MEDS BUT I WILL NEVER BUY MEDS OFF THE STREETS. ITS NOT A PILL 💊 ADDICTION IF YOU ARE REALLY IN PAIN AND YOU CANT BE ACTIVE. ITS A ADDICTION IF YOU TAKE MORE THAN YOU NEED ITS A BIG DIFFERENCE. SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SON ZACK PASSING MAY HE REST IN PEACE 🕊️

[@craigrock8444]

That's what I said too until they cut me off cold turkey after years. Never say never but I pray it never happens to you. Stay strong.

[@kellyford5903]

I agree. I absolutely hate what this Crap has done-is doing to Families…but…for those of us with documented chronic pain, it has made it almost impossible to get legitimate medical help-such a mess!

[@nunyabidness6045]

​​@@kellyford5903yeah, that part. It's bs. Like doctors have ways of telling if you're actually messed up and in pain vs completely normal/healthy and pill seeking, but they act like they don't and just treat everyone as pill seekers.

[@sistatiph2308]

I got off pain meds and chose Suboxone, but now they make everything hard to obtain. I will always need it I was hit by a truck and dragged on my face.n

[@cindyfitzgerald4500]

@@craigrock8444yes never say never I found out the very hard way

[@eerye70]

I am so sorry for your loss. It is just heart breaking to hear his story and know that your family is missing such a precious person. I don't have a family member on drugs, however my son and i are so close and he is the sweet and goofy kind person and i can just imagine how awful it would be to lose him. I pray for your family to have peace and i know that your activist activities are making a difference in peoples lives. Thank you for sharing Zach's story. God's peace.

[@puppx13]

I'm very sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace, Zachary Willis. My condolences to his mother, wife, family, and friends. ---Watts, CA.

[@FLBeautyQueen]

WARNING ALL PARENTS: If your child suffers from chronic pain or mental illness, it’s YOUR responsibility to find a doctor to prescribe proper medication. Parenting NEVER ends. This is a cautionary story that could have been easily preventable. Sending ❤💪🙏

[@mikeandevaelizabeth]

Worked in ER dept for over 15 years now, addiction is a disease, long-term treatment requirement, same as diabetes or the patient will die

[@LuluBrit]

Agree

[@TheIddieMorris]

Parents can do all of that: therapy, support groups, neuropsychological testing, coaching, medication, intact family, love, friends and yet, children make their own decisions.

[@TheGrayGrey]

You are insensitive and absolutely wrong. Physicians have difficulty treating chronic pain because of the opiate crisis nevermind a patient that has an addiction history. Healthcare in America is at it's worst. You didn't even show compassion for this mother that lost her son. Just a need to be right spirit that lacks empathy and emotional maturity that doesn't need to give advice to anyone.

[@anitalewis7340]

Parents can't make their decisions for them, parents can do all they can do, but if they want to do street drugs, they will do it. Do not blame the parents

[@windwarattack2300]

Another one gone from the 27 Club...I also almost died back in 2001 when I was 27 also...I was rushed to the E.R. with systemic organ collapse and was in shock because of drugs...I barely survived

[@RachelScott-gr2tz]

Happening everyday miss my son enormously ❤

[@christinestumcke9817]

My prayers to you and your daughter sweetheart. I hope one day our government will address this awful epidemic.

[@feleciarodriguezcancerfigh1143]

You gotta find comfort and peace. Sending you love and light.

[@patchesblack7490]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Prayers sent for your family 🙏 R.I.P Zachary

[@phillyspecial1516]

So sorry you lost your son 🥀. Find comfort with your husband, daughter and grandson.

[@kianhu]

I’m so sorry for the loss of your son 😢

[@francessavella7825]

It's truly sickening how our governments are killing off the most vulnerable in society😢😢😢

[@gangstertwist8118]

I lost my nephew to fentanyl last yr he leaves behind 2 beautiful kids my nephew is forever 32 ❤😢

[@Love-dw6ry]

Thank you for sharing. It will help many. Much love to you human sister.

[@deborahhoward5471]

Of course the wife stole / hid / got rid of the phone! A lot of sadness in this family. I would be curious to know what family history was like, esp re: addiction.

[@trumpwon8064]

What a good son he was to his mother. And, what a great mother to have.

[@executivewoman678]

He was a cute baby and a good looking young man. I'm so sorry your your loss 😢

[@angelawilson3313]

So sorry for your loss. You were a good Mom and he was blessed by you. 🙏🏻

[@camiflo1578]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[@tinalindsey1598]

Divorce devastated kids. I believe in counseling, trying everything first. It’s not fair to the kids to break up their family. My mama stayed and all of my siblings are happily married for over twenty years. My mama taught us family is forever and she was verbally abused and guess what? My siblings and I learned not to tolerate it from our spouses. My mama was a strong mama. ❤️

[@Lovinmyplants]

Sorry for your loss 😢

[@robinsimmons1526]

Praying for the families grateful heart giver

[@basbleupeaunoire]

She is so gracious.

[@roxananunez4238]

My deepest condolences to you and your family 🙏😪🙏R.I.P. sweetheart

[@Babygirl_2008]

This mom loved her son prayers 🙏 to you and your family

[@deniseblackburn33]

I’m sorry thankyou for sharing

[@StephanieCagg-vr1if]

I am so sorry for your son he didn't make it

[@esmith4646]

My heart aches for this family this Mom seems so cool too. They were lucky to have one another like that. I’m sure he is waiting for her on the other side.

[@J34xalpha_KING]

He was Young. Very Sad

[@CherylMcAnally-b2w]

Going on 12 years clean and sober😊however my drug of choice was speed meth...iv.....😅but recovery makes me happy

[@carlovehbi9796]

Bottom line do not take any pills!!!

[@branevans3705]

I agree with you, mama. It does seem rather sus. Us moms have good instincts regarding our kids.

[@jackiethibodeaux3696]

Rest In Peace Zachary 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@1sweetsoul765]

Amen I really love to hear about the lives that crap has taken away way to soon❤hugs to you mama

[@7h7o7p]

Zach wasn't just a man 'getting ready to go to work to make ends meet for him n his wife' as mama said, he had some fire in his lap! That doesn't mean he didn't get trapped into drugs because of an injury, or that the medical mafia weren't as much evil in Zack's case. Still, reining in evil at each step helps us fight this dragon called drugs. Getting entrapped in drugs doesn't just end with the a subplot around drugs, it affects the friends we choose, n discernibly significantly the spouse we choose, n so much of the destiny that follows. Appreciate you, dear mom, for holding on to the meaning your beloved son brought. Telling his story will no doubt show the way to many lost in the maze of drugs, addiction, trial, temptation. Plz pass my love to your daughter, n tell her God loves her, that she will make it. Texas pictures documentaries, I'd been meaning to tell you a while, your cuts on the footage over the many documentaries I've watched easily range among remarkable to excellent! The way it allows emotion to sink in n feel the stories n lives isn't what one comes across commonly. Lotsa love, lotsa regards, deepest sympathies.

[@christiangirlforhumanity3853]

I am so sorry for your loss🤍🙏

[@joannegibson-lucas3791]

Very sad story. I think you can still access the phone records. Someone needs to be held accountable. Wondering also if the wife had a life insurance policy on him.

[@eirikrdberg1161]

I was a superstar hockey kid from 10-15. Always scored, every game. Then I got cancer in my leg and it was amputated above the knee as such a young person. Chemo for a full year 87/88. I did skate a few times on prosthetics, but it was a joke. I coached a couple of seasons which was okay, but I was going for the NHL and anything less was totally not truly interesting. Been using a lot of pills and alcohol the past 30 years. It is what it is. Not everyone can be Alex Ovechkin.

[@sandylipscomb7003]

I am so very sorry😱

[@mrsh_2329]

What a brave, strong lady. Prayers for you Rhonda and your family

[@debradavis9589]

RIP young man

[@mariegoleti]

How do you get a parent to come speak at my childs school? What is the process? Looking to get ahead of this pandemic.

[@TexasPictures]

Fentanyl Fathers is a great national organization that can make that happen. We can probably make it happy too if you have some kind of "in" with the school.

[@StephanieCagg-vr1if]

She has been clean for2 years

[@imbroken3860]

May 18th. Thats my mommas birthday. That day is coming up quickly. I will be thinking about u & your boy on that day. Im sorry for your loss. This fentanyl stuff is brutal.

[@sistatiph2308]

my heart goes out to the family. I wish people with Chronic Pain could always find good treatment. That's some fuckery about the phone....she was paid to not talk

[@sydneyacura2344]

Wow... watched this... soo sad made my cry.... I believe she cud stil records without phone. 😢

[@windwarattack2300]

Jim Morrison. Dead at 27.. .Jannis Joplin dead at 27... Jimi Hendrix dead at 27

[@melsmith3662]

Very sad.

[@jrpacer6355]

I have a coworker that just lost her son to this and lost her mom last August and it was her only child . His father passed a few years ago and ya I'm worried about her

[@sheralynfeeney-smith4451]

If you are addict and have a huge tolerance what will kill one person will not kill another hence the reason why dabbling all these street drugs is Russian roulette

[@littlebeam1621]

R,I,P ZACH

[@deniseblackburn33]

I’m from Reno

[@briannumme9337]

I ask, again, how much is the govt making so as not to stop this? As always, follow the money…

[@sandylipscomb7003]

Why did you care if he played football???

[@ashandemi]

🖤

[@MyMiMi1969]

💞

[@kmorris2238]

💔

[@jeffhughes4277]

crazy how there are no comments about the lost phone situation. what a cover up.

[@debrabrown913]

I hate this fentanyl it’s just so sad 😢

[@littleredtoasterbox]

Who else thinks Zachary’s wife knew about the fentanyl?

[@yolo4dolo28]

I KNOW MOM IS THINKING HMOCIDE ' RIP 'ZACH❤

[@gasovensforqcult]

I really hate the way people mispronounce Fentanyl. There is no O sound in the word people

[@bakertx]

Renay Giles

[@F417H]

🌱

[@tymom9313]

Sus! Nobody is perfect!

[@kathybailey436]

Do you think he was given those pills on purpose? Knowing he'd take them in the future. The police or investigators could get the phone records and texts.

[@kristyann9641]

Maybe she gave him the pill on purpose….

[@divastyle45ful]

Please don't say that

[@jaydenp4975]

It’s sus that his phone was missing and then off.

[@xoxobeauty_by_lynne2895]

His wife definitely knows more than she is letting on. Why else is his phone missing. His sister has no reason to lie about them being clean.

[@tmelanie2815]

Are their only wht n mixed kids dying from this. Your page only showcase wht ppl or mixed?!

[@TexasPictures]

We don't filter the storytellers by race, or by anything else. The percentage of black storytellers in this series roughly matches the percentage of black people in the US population. It just worked out that way. We announce our storytelling summits publicly here and on Facebook, we don't meet anyone in advance, and we don't turn anyone away.

[@samanthaorologio6866]

She’s adorable and Precious and I hate that she’s been put through this by the murderers out there. I don’t want to be this guy…but there’s no reasonable conclusion as to why the wife disappeared the phone OTHER THAN she’s got some role in it and it can’t be that she “didn’t know” like she’s told this family. There’s no way. She’d be just as desperate to find the culprits. Knocking at the policemans doors. Daily. You couldn’t stop her. ..well I guess OR if someone (a guilty party) had already gotten to her and threatened her existence if she didn’t. Or even came for the phone themselves. Which would be scary yes. But in that case I’d hope she moved immediately, then called the cops and told all. Idk this is sketchy. I haven’t often watched one of these where there’s something that sinister seemingly going on.

[@DailydevotionswithMJ]

Don’t dog this mom out she lost her child of course she’s suspicious! Her child, her baby is gone with no closure and she knew they fought a lot. Then some of the things that were done was suspicious why cut his phone off a day after he passes. Smells fishy! I pray mom gets closure or at least find peace. She didnt say he was innocent just that she finds it suspicious that her son was the only one using and no one knows anything about how it got there when they didnt drive up there.

[@deborahwinter5018]

Sorry for your loss!