Brenda-Lee Hunter: A Movement To Help Families In The Drug Crisis

Send us Fan MailA single Facebook memory changes the course of a mother’s life: a daughter in danger, a family holding its breath, and a community stepping in at the right moment. From that moment, we open a wider lens on the drug crisis—what it looks like inside a home, inside a hospital, and inside the hearts of people who refuse to give up. Our guest, Brenda Lee Hunter, founded The Legacy Mission to turn grief into purpose by collecting stories from families and individuals living through addiction, loss, and recovery. These aren’t headlines. They are maps that lead us toward humane policies and practical help.We talk about adoption and prenatal exposure, and the hard truth that love alone sometimes isn’t enough without support and structure. We push back on stereotypes with a sobering reality: many who die have housing, jobs, and families who love them. Visibility has distorted the narrative, making the street the stage while countless private battles go unseen. Brenda Lee explains why writing heals the writer first and then educates the world. Stories keep the light on for those we’ve lost and make it harder for leaders to ignore evidence.The conversation also tackles thorny questions about involuntary care for minors, brain injury from repeated overdoses, and what a truly humane response should offer. If current approaches were working, deaths would be falling. So we look at strategies that do work: housing-first models with wraparound services, long-term care options, trauma-informed schools, and prevention for children born to exposed mothers. We reflect on programs that succeeded, until politics got in the way, and why courage in policy-making is non-negotiable when lives are at stake.If this crisis has touched you, your voice matters. The Legacy Mission invites you to share your story for an upcoming book at no cost, honoring those who are here and those we miss. Listen, share this conversation with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more families find these resources. Your story might be the lifeline someone is waiting for.WEBSITE:  https://thelegacymission.com/JOIN US ON FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/4101376083451665If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins.Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place.I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power.Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's PodcastJulie's Website