Published: 07/7/2026 | Author: Quentin Blount

A candlelight vigil in Great Falls has put a human face on Montana’s opioid crisis, honoring people lost to fentanyl addiction, domestic violence and suicide. Dozens gathered on the historic 10th Street Bridge on June 24 to remember loved ones and to remind people still struggling with opioid addiction that support is available.

Montana features a wide range of programs to help folks of all backgrounds combat substance abuse. Inpatient centers provide medications while local grassroots Narcotics Anonymous chapters dot the landscape, However, many people in The Treasure State still fall victim to drugs, and the vigil took the opportunity to pay respects and to spread awareness.

The Opioid Crisis Takes Great Falls

Cascade County continues to feel the weight of overdose and suicide. Data showed the county experienced at least 27 overdose deaths and 25 suicide deaths in 2025. With new opioids entering the street scene, these numbers are poised to rise. 

The county accounted for only about 7% of Montana’s inbound crisis-line calls, but also had 15% of the overdose deaths across the state. It’s an alarmingly disproportionate share that organizers say represents real families and neighbors, not just statistics.

Remembering Those Lost

For Jeree Lapier, the vigil was personal. His brother, Nathaniel Chase Lapier, fell victim to a fentanyl overdose back in 2024. Lapier said few people understand fentanyl until it reaches their own family. Lapier noted that saying his brother’s name aloud is one way to keep him from being forgotten. 

Rosalie Kuska is a peer recovery coach at The Sober Life. She relayed that speaking openly about addiction and recovery and self-harm helps survivors and their family members feel less isolated. In addition to The Sober Life, Dynamic Recovery and Illumination Recovery sponsored the vigil.

Understanding Fentanyl & Harm Reduction

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far more powerful than other street drugs, and even a small amount can be fatal. It’s increasingly found mixed in counterfeit pills and other drugs, often without the person’s knowledge. This trend has sharply raised the risk of overdose. 

People recover through many paths, including medication for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine or methadone, counseling and peer support, and mutual-aid societies. 

Naloxone is often sold under the brand name Narcan and can reverse an opioid overdose if it’s given in time. Carrying naloxone and using fentanyl test strips are practical steps that keep people alive long enough to find recovery. 

Peer recovery coaches, like those who organized the vigil, can help connect people to the next step.

A First Step to Stop Opioid Addiction

If you or someone you love is struggling, help in Montana and beyond is close at hand:

• Find NA meetings in any location to enlist peer support with drug addiction

• Ask a provider about medications to reduce cravings

• Keep naloxone on hand and learn the signs of an opioid overdose

Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to go over opioid addiction treatment options with an expert. Or, browse our directory to an NA chapter anywhere in the U.S., organized by location.