Donna Andelora to join Congresswoman Sherrill as State of the Union Guest

Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Sherrill announced that her guest for the State of the Union tonight will be Donna Andelora, founder of the Lost Angels Bereavement Group and resident of Wayne, New Jersey.

Donna Andelora lost her son at the age of 22 to a heroin overdose, and after his death started the Lost Angels Bereavement Group to help local families cope with loved ones lost to drug overdoses or struggling with opioid addiction. The two will be highlighting the opioid epidemic in New Jersey, and the need for a concerted federal response.

"Donna has bravely taken the most horrific thing a parent can go through, the loss of their child, and created a stigma-free space to help families in our community struggling with opioid addiction," said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. "Donna's group provides a critical service in New Jersey, and the federal government must join in her fight. This is a national epidemic, and deserves a national response focused on long-term solutions and funding."

The opioid epidemic continues to grow across the country, with more than 70,000 Americans dying of drug overdoses in 2017. In New Jersey last year, more than eight people died each day across the state from drug overdoses. In October, Congress passed the Support for Patients and Communities Act, but did not include long-term funding to address the opioid crisis.

The Lost Angels Bereavement Group meets in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. For more information for families facing addiction in their lives, please visit https://reachnj.gov/ or call 1-844-732-2465.

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