Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
ST. GEORGE — Many of us have the kinds of pictures saved on our phones, computers, or albums Stephanie Anderson has.
From dirt bikes, to hiking trips, to even competing in triathlons, her husband Todd Anderson seemingly had it all.
"Todd was amazing," she said. "Everybody loved Todd."
However, he also had something he wasn't proud of.
"He suffered from addiction for about 40 years," Stephanie Anderson said.
He got plenty of help but also had plenty of relapses. Todd Anderson, who grew up in Murray, died two years ago after an overdose. He was 54 years old.
"He died from an accidental mix drug intoxication," said Stephanie Anderson. "That was really hard and really sad for our family."
Utah overdose deaths increasing; vigils to be held in communities across the state
Communities across the state are holding vigils on Saturday, which is International Overdose Awareness Day, to remember family and friends that have died from drug overdose, and to provide support those battling substance use disorders.A book on addiction
Before he died, though, Todd Anderson started writing a book about his addiction. He wrote his notes on his cell phone and ended up with nearly 700 pages.
Todd Anderson never finished his book, but Stephanie Anderson, who lives in St. George, did.
It is called "Dear Addict" and deals with a topic that could always use more attention and awareness.
"His story did end too soon and I didn't want anybody to ever forget about him," Stephanie Anderson said. "That is why I published the book."
It is also why she has become an advocate for overdose awareness and has planned several events to help others.
After doing some research, Anderson says she found out 606 people in Utah died from some type of overdose in 2023.
So, she placed 606 flags outside the Book Bungalow bookstore in St. George as a visual reminder of the human cost of overdose.
"This flag represents one life lost to overdose," she said while hold a small purple flag. "This is somebody's life that could have been saved by kindness, by love, by connection, and by healing and growth."
She knows it is too late for her husband.
But Stephanie Anderson also knows it is not too late for someone else going through the same trials.
"If they are still breathing, there is hope and we never want to feel like we don't have hope or hope for our loved ones," she said.
It is certainly not easy, but it is possible.
"Help is out there. You just have to start down that path," Stephanie Anderson said. "Sometimes we feel helpless but we can always have hope."
