Before you push, plug, or take that pill.
Mateo’s Story
On March 27, 2023 Mateo Erick Louis Swanson was killed when he took fentanyl. Mateo thought it was Percocet.
Mateo had been suffering from COVID for days and he was tired of “feeling like shit!” He told his dad he was going for a ride to get out of the house and met a friend of a friend to get Percocet. Mateo died that night.
What he thought was Percocet was 100% Fentanyl.
The guy who gave it to him was charged with murder and is going to jail. The friend that introduced him to the guy he got it from will be grief-stricken for life.
Three 20 year-olds whose lives are gone/changed forever. Three families who are distraught and whose lives have changed forever.
About Mateo’s Message
To honor Mateo and to help ensure that this doesn’t happen to other people’s kids, we have started an initiative called Mateo’s Message. Our purpose is to share what happened to Mateo with other young people and to ensure they know the risks of taking any drug (including weed) without knowing what it is. We know that we can’t stop people from doing drugs, but we can warn and equip them.
That’s why we have teamed with SixSpeed and Southside Harm Reduction Services to put harm reduction stations throughout the state (and hopefully country) that provide free Fentanyl Test Strips and Narcan. To learn more about the fentanyl crisis or the Overdose Prevention Project, check out SixSpeed.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Terri, Bob, Dusti, Delane, and Mateo!
Mateo’s Message is currently applying for 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit organization. Once approved, all donations made from the date of our formation will be retroactively tax-deductible. Your support is invaluable in helping us raise awareness and prevent fentanyl overdose tragedies.
Get Involved
Float Against Fentanyl
Join us on a 3-hour float down the scenic San Marcos River (TX) to raise funds for harm reduction supplies and increase awareness.
Download the Flyer
Overdose Prevention Project
These stations are intended as a public good so people at risk, as well as friends and family, have access to potentially life-saving materials.
Learn More
Southside Harm Reduction
Offering test strips, naloxone (Narcan), sterile syringes and other supplies directly to people who use drugs through their Deliveries Line.
Visit SHRSHarm Reduction Stations
- SixSpeed
4828 W 35th St, Minneapolis, MN 55416 - Episcopal Church in Minnesota
1101 W Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55411 - Mateo’s Station
7217 W Broadway, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
Knowledge is Power
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. It is the main cause of overdose deaths in Minnesota and the leading player in the overdose epidemic in the U.S.
KEY FACTS:
- Fentanyl produces a strong, but short-lasting high. It leads to withdrawals quickly.
- Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
- A tiny amount of Fentanyl, even a few grains, can kill.
- Fentanyl is commonly seen as a white powder. It is often cut into heroin and cocaine because it’s cheap and potent.
- Prescription pills such as Xanax, Percocet and Oxycodone are often cut with fentanyl. Sometimes they are 100% fentanyl.
- Street bought weed is sometimes laced with fentanyl.
*Source: MN Department of Health
What is Narcan?
Narcan (Naloxone) is a live-saving medication used in reversing opioid overdoses. The nasal spray was approved by the FDA as an over-the-counter drug in 2023.
Narcan is fast-acting, easy to give, and effective. One package of Narcan costs about $50.
HOW TO USE NARCAN
What are fentanyl test strips?
Fentanyl test strips (FTS) can detect the presence of fentanyl in drug samples. FTS are a reliable, common-sense means of providing people at risk of fentanyl exposure with more information that can decrease risk of overdose.
As of July 2021, fentanyl test strips are legal to possess and distribute in the state of Minnesota.
