Former Fox News host Eric Bolling is channeling his grief over the loss of his son into a productive mission to combat the opioid crisis.
The Sinclair host announced his new role as the president and chairman of an anti-opioid organization on Monday, two years after his son, Eric Chase Bolling, died from to fentanyl-laced Xanax in 2017.
“Opioid overdoses kill more than 130 people per day in the United States, the equivalent of a daily plane crash. Yet where’s the outrage? America is negligent in the national opioid death epidemic,” Bolling wrote in an opinion piece for USA Today published on Monday.
“Maybe that’s because we have always felt drug overdoses are about shady dealers and addicts shooting up in dark alleys. I have news for you. Opioids are crossing paths with your sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, parents and co-workers as you read this,” he added.
Bolling recounted the tragic loss of his 19-year-old son who died when the Xanax he bought on campus at the University of Colorado, Boulder turned out to be laced with the synthetic opioid, fentanyl.
“He never woke up,” Bolling wrote. “My life was altered that moment and will never ever be the same, nor whole, again”
“Six weeks later, Sinclair Broadcast Group executives offered me an opportunity to get the message about opioid dangers out to their massive national TV audience. They gave me a television platform, and I took the message to 15 town halls in 15 cities across America,” he added, after expressing gratitude to those like President Donald Trump who offered their immediate condolences and support.
The host of Sinclair’s “America This Week” went on to announce in his op-ed that he is now part of the NASDAQ-listed JanOne company.
“This September, on the two-year anniversary of Eric’s death, I joined JanOne as chairman and president. The company’s name reflects the new beginnings and clean starts we make on the first of the year. I am committed to bringing solutions to the opioid epidemic forward from this platform.”
“I plan to bring in doctors and researchers to find ways to combat a deadly killer in opioids. We will be developing strategies to save lives through nonaddictive alternatives to opioids. We will assess recovery systems and their efficacy (not their profitability),” he explained. “We want to remove the stigma of opioid addiction so no other parents have to live the tragic nightmare I am living.”
The 56-year-old political commentator and author noted the creation of a foundation in his son’s honor that would work to save the lives of others.
“All proceeds from my participation in JanOne are going directly into The Eric Chase Foundation I created to bring awareness of the deadly opioid epidemic. This way, Eric Chase will be saving lives, even if his couldn’t be saved,” Bolling said.
He also proposed that January be declared as “National Opioid Awareness Month.”
“I’ll be meeting with Jim Carroll, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, as well as the president and first lady to discuss this idea and others,” he wrote in concluding his op-ed.
“There’s nothing worse than to bury your child,” Bolling added. “My purpose on Earth is to save others from having to join me in this hellish fraternity.”
Many reacted to Bolling’s piece on Twitter, offering encouragement and applauding his efforts.
Thank you Ambassador Haley.. spreading the word about the dangers of this deadly epidemic is the first step in slowing down the death rate. https://t.co/5uOXzMVBdg
— Eric Bolling?? (@ericbolling) October 28, 2019
I remember the day, turning Chase’s loss into helping someone live! Beautiful Eric! ❤️❤️????✌???
— Elisa Morris (@ElisaMorris712) October 28, 2019
My heart goes out to you and your family. May your healing continue.
— Jim Ignatowski (@JimIgnatowski5) October 28, 2019
So sorry for the loss and pain. Thank you for continuing the fight against opiods.
— Shanthyer (@Shanthyer) October 29, 2019
Your strength give me strength
— Keith Drucker (@KDGerards) October 28, 2019
I tell your story to as many children/ young adults as I can. Hopefully Chase’s story keeps others away from drugs.
I continue to keep you and your wife in my prayers ?
— Diane Rivero (@rivero_diane) October 28, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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