SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Danny Eglowitz recalled progressing from alcohol to heroin as he fought a decade-long battle to sobriety, a moment when he felt hopeless.

That was one of many stories shared during the sixth annual International Overdose Awareness Vigil, held by Sullivan180 outside the Sullivan County courthouse on a rainy August 31.

The theme of the night was "25 Years On, Still Needed." While this is the sixth time International Overdose Awareness Day has been recognized in Sullivan County, this year is the twenty-fifth year since the day was established. Organizations like Fearless!, Lexington Center for Recovery and Corona House were in attendance spreading information about resources in the county for drug addiction before the ceremony.

“There’s something powerful about recognizing 25 years of awareness, advocacy [and] prevention,” Village of Liberty Police Chief Steve D’Agata said about the year's theme. “There’s also something deeply troubling about those words. Twenty five years later, parents are still burying their children, and children are losing parents. Twenty five years later, there are still people who are afraid to admit that they are struggling.”

Eglowitz, who has been sober for 28 years now, earnestly told participants his struggle with addiction as he got soaked by the rain. 

“My journey, like so many people, started with alcohol,” he said. “Every time I would relapse, it was over a drink.”

Eglowitz explained that drinking, which seemed innocent at the time, progressed into weed, then harder drugs like cocaine and heroin, the latter which he used for five years.

Eglowitz explained that his addiction brought out the worst parts of himself. When he started attending recovery meetings, he described himself as being “foul.” Though many did not want him there, he was never asked to leave, he said.

His addiction made him lose compassion for others, as he was disgusted with himself.

“One of the terrible things about addiction is in the depths of your despair, you really don’t want help. You think you’re worthless,” he said. “There were times I couldn’t even shave. I didn’t want to look in the mirror; I was disgusted with myself.”

Eglowitz eventually got treatment, spending 2 years in outpatient services after struggling with sobriety on and off for a decade.

“I definitely came close to the other side more than once,” he said.

After leaving treatment, which he was scared to do, Eglowitz expressed that to stay sober, he needed to change the community surrounding him. 

He explained that addiction took away his purpose, so when a probation officer asked him what he would do afterwards, he simply said he wanted to work with people.

Sobriety was a good look on Eglowitz. After completing treatment, he worked at Dynamite Youth Center, an addiction treatment center in Brooklyn, for 25 years until a branch in Fallsburg opened and he relocated with his son Sam. 

'Addiction's death grip'

Dorothy Sanchez echoed Eglowitz’s sentiments about community playing an important role in addiction recovery. Sanchez lost her son Jonathan, also known as Wavy, to a drug overdose two years ago. 

“Addiction has a community. Jonathan described it as a brotherhood,” she said. “We have to create somewhere where they belong. Restoration means a solid foundation with relationships, purpose, work, responsibility, faith and belonging,”

Sanchez emphasized that each person who has struggled with addiction is not just a number, but a real person who doesn’t deserve to be defined by the worst things they’ve done. Having a safe space to go after pursuing a sobriety journey can be really helpful, she said. 

Sanchez said Jonathan’s legacy was not about criticizing the work that’s currently being done, but expanding upon it.

“Let’s stop debating over which doorway everybody has to walk through and start making sure there’s enough doorways to get every single soul out of addiction’s death grip,” she commented. 

Current county resources for addiction include Hope Not Handcuffs, an organization that aims to provide rehabilitation instead of making an arrest, and vending machines with free Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of an overdose.

“This community has wonderful caring programs and resources for help,” Eglowitz commented.

After Sanchez’s speech, a bagpipe performance by Terrence Mullins welcomed several community members who approached the podium to address loved ones who had passed of an overdose. Many attendees also held paddles with their sober dates, ranging anywhere from 20 years to three days.

“In 25 years, if we’re still doing this, there is something wrong,” Eglowitz remarked. “I’m grateful to be sober. I am one of the lucky ones.”