Last year, nearly 2,200 Missourians died of a drug overdose. The state and the entire country are still grappling with a massive increase in fentanyl in the illicit drug supply.

I’ve been reporting on the overdose crisis for the last year and a half, and it’s given me a window into just how far and wide it reaches. Families are shattered by overdose deaths. Substance s are often left addicted and hopeless for years. First responders witness the brunt of the crisis on a daily basis.

One of the main goals in my reporting is to help people better understand what addiction is and what it really looks like, and to better understand it myself. These stories provide a lens into the local crisis in the St. Louis area.

Here you can read about veterans helping each other through recovery, family who lost loved ones to an overdose, first responders who have dealt with comion fatigue, and experts that outline why so many people fall through the cracks when it comes to addiction treatment and recovery.

-Matt Woods, Digital Content Producer

Watch “One Life Too Many: The Toll Of The Overdose Crisis” below