DICKSON, Tenn. (WKRN) — International Overdose Awareness Day is a reminder of the lives lost to addiction, along with the power of compassion and recovery, as seen through the story of a Dickson nurse who has turned personal loss into a mission to help others.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 105,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023. In 2024, the number dropped to about 80,000 deaths — the lowest in five years.

Although advocates said it's encouraging progress, local groups are still fighting to break the stigma that comes with addiction.

For Ashley Miller, the impact of addiction is personal. She lost someone she considered family in 2019.

“I lost someone that was like a mother figure to me in 2019...It was hard losing her when she passe

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