Candlelight vigil in Arlington Heights highlights overdose deaths

  • Michelle Howden of Deerfield, left, consoles Leyla Durmus of Buffalo Grove at Friday's candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. A photo of Durmus' son, Kaya Dikmenli, 21, hangs on the tree at right.

      Michelle Howden of Deerfield, left, consoles Leyla Durmus of Buffalo Grove at Friday's candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. A photo of Durmus' son, Kaya Dikmenli, 21, hangs on the tree at right. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

  • Mark and Josie Schreck of Chicago look at a picture of their son David, 21, on the memorial tree Friday at the candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights as part of International Overdose Awareness Day.

      Mark and Josie Schreck of Chicago look at a picture of their son David, 21, on the memorial tree Friday at the candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

  • Cheryl Cummings of Elmhurst looks for her son Spencer Charles Cummings, 40, who died in October 2012, on the picture memorial tree Friday at the candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights as part of International Overdose Awareness Day.

      Cheryl Cummings of Elmhurst looks for her son Spencer Charles Cummings, 40, who died in October 2012, on the picture memorial tree Friday at the candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

  • Tim O'Keefe of Mount Prospect hangs a picture of his son Daniel "Dano" O'Keefe on the memorial tree at Friday's candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington.

      Tim O'Keefe of Mount Prospect hangs a picture of his son Daniel "Dano" O'Keefe on the memorial tree at Friday's candlelight vigil held at Lake Arlington. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

 
Daily Herald report
Updated 8/31/2018 8:35 PM

A candlelight vigil Friday evening at Lake Arlington marked International Overdose Awareness Day, a time to remember those lost to an overdose.

It was the culmination of a weeklong effort led by Glueckert Funeral Home and nonprofit Live4Lali, both in Arlington Heights, to get more people trained in how to administer naloxone, the opioid-reversal medication.

 

John Glueckert Jr., owner of the funeral home, said he was led to the effort by the increasing number of deaths he handles of people who die from an overdose. It's estimated 2,155 people will die in Illinois this year from an accidental drug overdose.

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