MACON, Ga. — After the unexpected loss of their loved one, a group of friends is raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl.
Joshua Owen Negri died of a fentanyl overdose in April.
His friends knew him as Joe Joe. Longtime friend Brittany Lee says he was the glue that held their group together.
"He was super eccentric. Super happy. Super loud. He really liked sports. Sports was a big deal to him," Lee said.
Lee met Negri about 18 years ago. She says he always brought life to every room he walked into.
"He really was just the life of the party. super funny. you knew he was there when he popped up. We really just loved having him around," she said.
On Saturday, around 10 of Negri's school and neighborhood friends gathered to honor his life. The group says they considered him their family.
Victoria Seale, says it's hard to pinpoint the best memory with Negri because he was always a good time.
Seale and Lee say he was kind-hearted and a family man. The 34-year-old leaves behind a wife, two children, parents and a sibling they say he loved dearly.
The friends stood around on Saturday looking at photos, holding candles, and sharing memories of Negri.
Most importantly they wanted to spread awareness about fentanyl. They remind everyone to check in with loved ones and speak about the impacts and dangers of fentanyl.
"It's something that a lot of people aren't comfortable talking about. I think that more people need to talk about it. It's real. It's happening to families. It's happening to people that you would never imagine. We just want people to be aware," Lee said.
In May, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office arrested Travion Lorenzo Veal in connection to the fentanyl overdose of Negri.
MORE THAN A NUMBER:
More Than A Number is a Poynter-Stand Together award-winning project by Justin Baxley designed to help families of loved ones impacted by tragedy and trauma interact with journalists in a less intrusive way. Families are able to fill out a form about their family and also receive an in-depth guide on the next steps.
More Than A Number officially launched in August with a streaming special available on 13WMAZ+ for on-demand streaming. For any questions or concerns about More Than A Number, contact us here at the following email: MoreThanANumber@13wmaz.com.