My husband and I lost our 23 year-old son Hunter 2 years ago. Hunter was a charismatic, fun-loving young man with a heart of gold who had a gift for making everyone he met feel like they were the most important person in the world. Hunter graduated from college in 2016 and was living the dream. Tragically, that dream turned into a heartbreaking nightmare when he passed away on December 4, 2016, as a result of an accidental drug overdose from a Fentanyl laced batch of cocaine.
The tragedy and travesty that took Hunter’s life shocked everybody. No one saw this coming! Hunter’s passing shattered our lives and all we wanted to do was to shut down, but knowing how much Hunter genuinely cared for others and loved unconditionally, we knew that he would not want his death to be in vain. In order to honor his legacy of love and to prevent other families and friends from suffering the unbearable pain of losing a loved one we established The Hunter Dalton HDLife Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to prevent recreational drug use and to educate/warn about the catastrophic nationwide drug crisis and the inherent danger associated with the introduction of illicit Fentanyl to our country’s drug culture. I am a MOM ON A MISSION! I wake up panicked thinking, “How do we reach more people? Why is this not on the news every day?” Your film may just be the catalyst needed to turn the tide of this horrific epidemic. When I received the information regarding your film, I knew that Hunter’s story could meld perfectly with your mission.
With regard to your criteria for pre-existing media, we have an overabundance of pictures and videos detailing Hunter’s amazing life. In addition, a close friend of Hunter’s, while in a state of inconsolable pain and grief, wrote the “HD Life” song to honor Hunter. When I heard this powerful song, I knew it would be a vital tool that the Foundation could use to save lives. We produced a music video for the “HD Life” song that reenacts our story beginning with the gut wrenching phone call that forever changed our lives. Here is a link to view the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsdTtIhO2uc
We live in a suburban community on Lake Norman in Cornelius, NC. Hunter grew up in this community. He played sports, attended church, did volunteer work and participated in community events. For all of us who love and miss Hunter we didn’t know how to navigate our “new normal.” The only way we are going to survive losing him is if we can make a difference. Please let us join you in your commitment to save lives!
For more information about Hunter, please visit our website at thehdlife.org.
Story by Debbie Dalton