A statement from Gregory Tatro of Johnson, VT. He is the brother of Jenna Tatro and co-founder of Jenna’s Promise.
It’s hard to believe that February 15th marks six years since I lost my sister Jenna to substance use disorder. Six years since my family faced the unimaginable—something far too many families in this country have endured.
As you’ve heard me say, every single day, we lose the equivalent of a 747 crashing out of the sky to overdoses. If that were happening with actual planes, the country would be at a standstill until we took action. But because it’s addiction—because of stigma—we just keep moving. We accept the unacceptable.
Stigma is the wall that separates what is from what could be. It keeps people from reaching out for help, but just as cruelly, it stops those in recovery from getting a second chance. People fighting for their lives are met with closed doors when they should be met with open arms.
But that wall is brittle. Our voices can break it down. That’s why this post matters. That’s why your voice matters.
#SixYearsOfHope isn’t just about remembering Jenna—it’s about momentum. It’s about acknowledging the crisis and lifting up the hope and progress that recovery makes possible. Because while too many lives are lost, so many others are being rebuilt. Hope is real. Recovery is real. And by shining a light on that truth, we help more people find their way forward.
I’m hoping Copley Hospital will join us in helping to help break that silence. To help move the conversation into places it isn’t happening enough. To use its voice to say: This matters.
Thank you for considering this. It would mean the world to my family and our organization—but more than that, it could make someone stop, listen, and realize that we can’t keep looking away.
Gregory