The darkness was unbearable. It was so dark, it was hard to even think about going on. They had to find a way back to the light that is life.

When Alexandria Sienkiewicz died of a fentanyl overdose on April 2, 2016, that overwhelming darkness descended on her family. They were lost and confused. Her parents, John and Tammy, entered a limbo from which they are still trying to escape.

“As a parent, you never think your child will become addicted to drugs. Not us, not our kids,” says Tammy.

As for John, “Before we realized Alex was doing drugs, any stray thoughts I had about my kids and drugs, she was the last one of my kids I would have expected to get involved.”

The overwhelming grief turned to anger and a deep resolve to do something about the rising opioid epidemic, to do what they could to ensure other parents didn’t have to deal with that darkness.

From that resolve, they created the Safer Streets for Tamaqua’s Little Feet nonprofit group, dedicating their lives to helping addicts become sober, but just as importantly, educating people about the realities of addiction.

The group is sponsoring a candlelight walk on Saturday.

“Addiction is a disease, not simply a choice,” says John.

He knows many people don’t agree with that, thinking it’s not the same as cancer or heart disease.

But the similarities are there.

Just like cancer and heart disease, addiction can be linked to genetics or be caused by a combination of risk factors, such as individual behavior and environment.

“If you develop lung cancer after years of smoking, there is no stigma. People don’t shun you or tell you it’s your choice. They offer sympathy and compassion. That’s what we need for those addicted to drugs and alcohol,” says the determined father.

Addiction is all about your body craving something, whether it’s drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or that morning cup of coffee. Some addictions are just more devastating than others.

Since their daughter’s death, there has been an increase in resources available to those whose lives have darkened due to drugs, such as drug courts, additional rehab centers and recovery centers.

Locally, in addition to Safer Streets, resources are available through STEP Up Tamaqua, Raiders STEP Up, the Tamaqua Area Faith and Fellowship Network, Skook Recovers and the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership.

While those resources are a huge help, they don’t solve the underlying problem.

Tammy said, “The drug epidemic affects us all, not just those who are addicted and their immediate families. Everybody knows someone. Education is not only important to recovery, it is the key to prevention. We need everyone to get involved in this fight.”

“People didn’t know that opiate pain relievers were addicting. Most doctors who prescribed them didn’t know, but the pharmaceutical companies knew these miracle pain killers were highly addictive”, says Michelle Mehallic, a Safer Streets board member.

“We need to educate everyone, at every age level. That’s why it’s important for education to start early. We need parents and the schools to become more serious, more pro-active.”

“Everyone at Safer Streets has a job, most related to helping others, but we never take a day off. We are always available, whether it’s to help someone get into a rehab or a recovery program, or to offer support to the families of those who are addicted.

“Sometimes, a child comes to us for help for their addicted parent. Those are the most heartbreaking cases,” says Tammy.

Safer Streets is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit group, relying on donations, grants and fundraisers to continue offering help to those who face addiction.

The group’s largest annual fundraiser, the “Out of the Darkness, Into the Light Candlelight Walk,” has grown enormously since it first began three years ago.

This year’s event has morphed from a solemn evening walk along Broad Street in Tamaqua to an all day event, celebrating recovery and remembering those whose lives ended too quickly while providing education to all.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Owl Creek Reservoir.

Guest speakers will include former NFL star Vance Johnson, Travis Snyder of Skook Recovers, Bill Stauffer of the Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliance and Robert Bedford of Stepping Stones Recovery Houses.

There will also be an opportunity for anyone else who wishes to speak about their personal recovery path.

There will be free face painting, popcorn and sno-cones and each child will receive five free game tickets. Refreshments will be available from the Owl Creek Reservoir’s concession stand.

The candlelight walk will begin at 4 p.m. and be followed by a live butterfly release. More details on the event may be found on the Safer Streets Facebook page or website at saferstreetstamaqua.com.

A certain stigma is attached to drug addiction, leading many people to avoid becoming involved in any of the organizations fighting the current problem. It’s that stigma that causes the darkness to deepen.

“We are still in the dark,” says Tammy, “working our way to the light.”

John adds, “Darkness is the stigma caused by society. Until we can break that stigma, we cannot fully help those who are suffering. Only as a society can we beat addiction. Every day, we’re working toward that light, the light of erasing the stigma of addiction.”