Fentanyl Killed My Son at a Sleepover | A Mother's Fight for Justice

Tiffany Foster's son Zack was 13 when he died from fentanyl poisoning at a friend's sleepover. He wasn't an addict. It was his first time. Eight days after his birthday, he was gone.

Tiffany shares Zack's story -- his childhood, the night of August 28th, four years of legal battles, and the advocacy work she does now. If you're a parent, someone in recovery, or anyone who loves a young person, this one is for you.

Fentanyl doesn't discriminate. Two milligrams -- the tip of a pencil -- is lethal. Zack had 44.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 -- Introduction to the Journey
03:36 -- The Impact of Loss and Grief
12:29 -- Understanding Zack's Childhood and Development
24:32 -- Navigating Adolescence and Early Experimentation
36:00 -- The Tragic Night and Its Consequences
38:48 -- Navigating Parental Concerns
42:05 -- The Night of the Incident
44:28 -- The Shocking News
51:50 -- Understanding the Overdose
54:24 -- The Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
01:01:32 -- The Trials and Sentencing
01:19:12 -- Judicial System Insights and Parole Eligibility
01:22:28 -- Navigating Grief and the Impact of Trials
01:26:05 -- The Verdict: A Moment of Relief
01:30:21 -- Joining the Fight Against Addiction
01:33:08 -- Early Prevention and Education on Substance Use
01:41:43 -- Hidden in Plain View: Raising Awareness
01:48:11 -- Knowledge is Power: Engaging Parents in Prevention
01:50:15 -- Creating Awareness Through Personal Stories
01:52:53 -- The Importance of Authenticity in Communication
01:56:05 -- Navigating Grief and Addiction
02:01:40 -- The Journey of Recovery and Support
02:05:51 -- The Role of Community in Healing
02:10:37 -- Continuing the Conversation on Addiction

ABOUT ZACK

Born August 21, 2008. Outgoing, loving, never met a stranger. He loved horror movies, video games, soccer, and Halloween, and had a personality big enough to fill any room. He was eight days past his 13th birthday when he died. His toxicology came back with 44 milligrams of fentanyl -- a lethal dose is 2 to 5 milligrams, an amount that fits on the tip of a pencil.

THE LEGAL OUTCOME

Three adults were charged. Andrew Amalong: convicted, 40 years concurrent. Thomas Noonan -- whose biological daughter had died from fentanyl three weeks before Zack -- convicted, 45 years consecutive with a repeat offender enhancement. Jury deliberations: 90 minutes and 30 minutes respectively. Final sentencing: August 2025.

WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO HEAR

• Fentanyl is in marijuana, counterfeit pills, and things no one expects. Two milligrams is lethal.
• Zack was not an addict. This was his first time. One try can be fatal now.
• Talk to your kids early -- the fear that the conversation invites experimentation is wrong.
• Know where your kids sleep. Vet the household, not just whether a parent is home.
• Fentanyl poisoning does not care about grades, zip codes, or family stability.

ADDICTION IS REAL

Tiffany is a board member of Addiction Is Real, a St. Louis nonprofit focused on early substance use prevention and education. Their Hidden in Plain View program is a bedroom display with 70+ warning signs and stash items parents wouldn't recognize. They're building permanent mobile trailer displays -- needed by April 2026. Free parent toolkit at addictionisreal.org.

SPONSORS

Light Source Psychotherapy
McKelvey Insurance Group | 618-623-0080

CONNECT

pondoffsanonymous.com

Pondoff's Anonymous | Chris Pandoff, Zoe Mendenall, Jeff Allen | Illinois Recovery Center | Music: McCall -- "Anti-Hero"

Ryan Canaday and Karie McMullen from FREE Recovery Community in Denver join us for a raw, thoughtful conversation about addiction, faith, grief, and the power of community.

This episode explores what happens when recovery shifts from isolation to connection. We talk about shame, anger at God, burnout in ministry spaces, losing people to addiction, and the kind of spiritual community that makes room for doubt instead of punishing it.

At the center of this episode is one simple but powerful idea: “we” is stronger than “me.”

FREE Recovery Community (Denver, CO)
https://www.freerecoverycommunity.com

A spiritually grounded recovery community focused on connection, belonging, and breaking shame through honest conversation.

• 00:00 – Introduction to the journey
• 03:12 – Transformative moments in recovery
• 08:55 – Faith, community, and what actually helps people heal
• 12:54 – Doubt, anger at God, and staying spiritually honest
• 17:47 – Addiction and family systems
• 22:48 – Desperation, surrender, and what finally shifts
• 30:32 – “We” is stronger than “me”
• 35:03 – The illusion of anonymity and the power of shame
• 59:53 – How FREE Recovery Community started
• 01:05:56 – Grief, funerals, and the urgency of the work
• 01:30:31 – Representation and belonging in spiritual spaces
• 02:00:56 – Baptism and redemption

https://www.pondoffsanonymous.com

McKelvey Insurance Group
https://www.mckelveyins.com

LightSource Psychotherapy (Belleville, IL)
https://www.findyourlightsource.com

🔥 Pondoff’s Anonymous – Show Notes

🎙️ Episode Title: Grief, Phish, Fentanyl & Truth

🎧 Guest: Theresa Solsten

Who this episode is for:

- Those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol

- Families grieving someone lost to overdose — or what we’re calling it now: poisoning

- Anyone carrying shame in silence

- Men who’ve never been told they’re allowed to feel

- Anyone who’s ever made a mess of their life

- Phish fans and the Phish-curious

---

Theresa is back. And this one goes deep.

Eight years ago, her sister Michelle died from fentanyl poisoning.

Not a moral failure.

Not a statistic.

A poisoning.

We talk about why language matters. Why “overdose” carries stigma. Why “poisoning” tells the truth. Most people who die from fentanyl never intended to die. They thought they were buying something else. They were wrong — and it cost them everything.

Theresa shares:

- Discovering her sister was using

- Taking her to her first meeting

- Clean time that ended quietly

- The secrecy addicts build out of fear

- The isolation of grieving someone society still judges

“People choose isolation because they’re trying to feel safe.”

That line hits.

Addiction isn’t just self-destruction. It’s fear. Shame. Survival wiring that stopped working.

We also talk about:

- Therapy as preventative maintenance

- Why support systems matter before crisis hits

- Why men need emotional safe spaces

- The “doorknob confession” phenomenon

- How to challenge the thoughts that keep you stuck

And yes — we talk about Phish.

Because grief and joy coexist.

You can carry loss and still debate your favorite live jam.

You can mourn your sister and still show up to the show.

Somewhere between cutting hair and holding space for clients unloading their lives, Theresa feels a pull toward something bigger in the recovery space. Behavioral health was her first love. Grief made it personal.

Michelle’s story didn’t end when she died.

It lives on every time it’s told.

If you’ve ever:

- Loved an addict

- Been the addict

- Lost someone and struggled to say it out loud

- Sat in your car before work trying to steady yourself

This episode is for you.

Full transcript here: :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Sponsored by McKelvey Insurance (https://www.mckelveyins.com/) and LightSource Psychotherapy (https://findyourlightsource.com/).