In Part 1, Bill Gerhart shared his son Connor’s story and discussed the dangers of fentanyl. In Part 2, Bill shares more about the fentanyl crisis, why he feels prosecuting those who sell it is necessary, and what he’s doing to raise awareness. He also reflects on his belief that there’s opportunity in every event, and how he moves forward with that perspective.

Hear Bill talk about:

• Giving away Narcan at Connor’s memorial service so others might be saved
• Why awareness and access to treatment matter more than ever
• The role of cartels, supply chains, and prosecution in the fentanyl epidemic
• His hopes for developing a new, non-opioid addiction treatment
• How this tragedy has made him appreciate his friends and family even more

Mentioned in this episode and references:

• If someone you care about is battling opioid addiction, find resources here
• Learn more about Naloxone (Narcan), the reversal drug Bill and his family gave out at Connor's Celebration of Life
• Read more about the crisis and the DEA's "One Pill Can Kill" awareness campaign

This week's music is by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.

In 2023, nearly 80,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses. Bill Gerhart's son Connor was one of those people. In this first part of a two-part conversation, Bill shares who Connor was, from his childhood and football days to his career as a civil engineer, and how a series of surgeries and pain prescriptions led to an opioid addiction that few around him knew about. He also reflects on when he realized what was happening with Connor, and why awareness is so important.

Hear Bill talk about:

• Connor’s childhood, football years, and what made him “every dad’s dream”
• The challenges of college and how he found his way forward
• Rebuilding confidence after setbacks and starting a successful career
• The injuries and surgeries that introduced opioids into his life
• How his family discovered his addiction, and what Bill has since learned about awareness and prevention

Mentioned in this episode and references:

• See Bill's tribute to his son Conner at Connor's Celebration of Life
• If someone you love is battling opioid addiction, find resources here
• Read more about Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction
• Learn more about Naloxone (Narcan), an opioid overdose reversal drug
• Find out more about Fentanyl test strips, a tool to detect fentanyl in recreational drugs

Closing music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.

Dr. Mary Hayden recently traveled to Colombia to answer a question about mosquitoes that was actually about us humans. Specifically, she wanted to know how human behavior shapes the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. From unregulated areas with limited water access to neighborhoods in the U.S., she’s found that our daily habits, infrastructure, and even trust in information can either reduce or increase that risk.

Hear Mary talk about:

• How her interest in climate led to a focus on human behavior and disease transmission
• What she observed in Colombian communities where water access is scarce and mosquitoes thrive
• How perception of risk and trust in messengers impact public health efforts
• Practical ways you can protect yourself from mosquitoes and ticks
• Why some prevention strategies are simple, yet are still so hard to make stick

Mentioned in this episode:

• More about Dr. Mary Hayden
• BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) – Bacteria used to kill mosquito larvae in standing water
• Engineers Without Borders – Organization developing low-cost solutions for clean water and storage safety
• Permethrin – Insecticide applied to clothing to repel mosquitoes and ticks
• Bug repellents like Picaridin, DEET, and the plant-based Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

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