A North Fond du Lac family is hoping to turn a tragedy into a positive message of hope for heroin addicts and families who have been impacted by addiction. Fond du Lac High School graduate Tyler Hass died of a heroin overdose on Thanksgiving Day 2011, changing forever the lives of his family and friends. Thursday, Tyler’s brother, Jake Hass presented proceeds of a recent fundraiser to Drug Free Communities of Fond du lac County to combat opioid/heroin abuse in Fond du Lac County. Hass says there is not a day that goes by that he doesn’t think of and miss his brother. “I would do anything to have him by my side,” Hass told WFDL news. “To lose your best friend and your brother before he really got to live his life, its unbearable.” Hass says in the years following his brother’s death, the family has sought to educate, inform and raise money to fight heroin abuse. North Fond du lac Police chief and vice chair of Drug Free Communities, Darren Pautsch, says the donation is very generous and thoughtful. Pautsch says in the coming months DFC will work to increase awareness through a series of public meetings, education and training. For more information you may visit the Drug Free Communities website at www.drugfreeefdl.com.
