Videos
Hear real-life stories from and about your peers.
Summit Stories
Brian & Casi
Meet Brian & Casi Beibl, residents of Summit County, as they share their heartfelt story of losing their son, Ben.
Take a moment to listen and understand the importance of discussing how opioid use can affect families like yours. Your life and the lives of your loved ones are valuable.
Madison Gerchow: The Mission
of XFoundation
Meet Madison Gerchow, a co-founder and VP at XFoundation. A few years ago, Madison tragically lost her younger brother Xavier to accidental fentanyl poisoning.
Madison and her father George went on to create XFoundation to honor Xavier. Their goal is to both educate people on the dangers of fentanyl poisoning, and to fund athletic and music programs across many local communities.
Cami & Piper with Advice for 8th Graders and Freshman
Cami and Piper graduated from Summit High School in the spring of 2024. In this video, they discuss advice they have for younger students that could help them stay away from addictive substances and dangerous situations.
They recommend finding yourself a trustworthy and dependable group of friends to surround yourself with, staying busy, and learning how to be comfortable saying no.
Author Ben Westhoff on How
We Can Beat the Opioid Crisis
In May 2024, Ben Westhoff, an investigative journalist and the author of Fentanyl, Inc., came to Summit County to share his views on the opioid crisis. Ben stresses that instead of trying to spend money stopping drugs from coming in, we must instead spend that money to help those who need it here at home. Listen in to hear what other insights Ben shares about how we can support our community and beat the opioid epidemic.
Cami and Piper on How to Stay Busy and Away From Trouble
Staying busy and active while enjoying the company of your friends is a great way to stay focused, make healthy choices, and avoid substance use. Cami and Piper, who graduated from Summit High in 2024, discuss why they would recommend sports and extracurriculars as good activities to participate in for those trying to quit or keep away from substance use.
How to Have Hard Conversations
About Fentanyl With Your Kids
Talking with your kids about the dangers of fentanyl and the risks associated with recreational drug use may be difficult, but it’s an extremely important discussion to have.
In this video, Madison Gerchow of XFoundation talks about how to best approach these conversations from a place of positivity and support. It’s essential that you and your loved ones are informed and able to make smart, healthy decisions.
Maressa & Regan, Part 1
Maressa and Regan, two students at Summit High, discuss what motivates them to stay away from drugs and make healthy choices. Knowing your reasons for abstaining from drug use can help you withstand peer pressure, find healthy habits and build a strong support system.
Yareli & Alex, Part 1
Meet Yareli and Alex, two students at Summit High. Listen in as they discuss who they talk to about difficult topics, such as mental health and drug use; and where in Summit County you can go to find the support you may need.
A good support system is essential for everyone to live a healthy, drug free life.
Yareli & Alex, Part 2
Yareli and Alex, two students at Summit High, sit down to talk about how peer pressure can convince young people to make bad decisions.
They recommend finding friends that you can have an open and honest line of communication with, and surrounding yourself with people who don’t make you feel bad for not wanting to try something dangerous.
Maggie Seldeen
Meet Maggie Seldeen, a resident of Summit County who has lost many loved ones to opioid use and Fentanyl poisoning.
She stresses the importance of always calling 911, because nothing is worse than watching your friends and family members die.
George Gerchow
Introducing George Gerchow, a Summit County resident who tragically lost his son to fentanyl poisoning in March 2021. In response to this devastating loss, George, alongside his daughter, founded the X Foundation.
This organization is dedicated to distinguishing between overdosing and accidental fentanyl poisoning, eliminating the stigma associated with fentanyl-related deaths, and making positive contributions to the community.
Annie McClure
Introducing Annie McClure, a committed Summit County public health nurse on a life-saving mission.
Witness her expertise as she demonstrates the essential steps of administering Narcan spray to aid someone experiencing an overdose.
Jaime FitzSimons
Meet Summit County’s Sheriff, Jaime FitzSimons. In this video, Sheriff FitzSimons discusses the fentanyl epidemic, the steps his office has recently taken in promoting and offering harm reduction, and how everyone in the community can come together to help make Summit County safer.
Gallery
The gallery showcases a collection of photos from our community members who have bravely shared their personal stories. Each photo tells a powerful and unique journey of resilience, hope, and strength.
