USA First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff

Dear First Lady Gwen Walz,
I am an ambassador and state leader for the US Drug Epidemic Memorial wall in Minnesota.
My son, Nathan Kartak died of Fentanyl Poisoning on March 12, 2022, at the age of 30. His last
words to me were “stay safe out there’. I am looking for your help in keeping our children safe.
On Saturday, March 12, 2022, Nathan woke me up. I can still hear him say, “Mom, mom, I got
something for you down on the kitchen counter and I think you’ll like it.” and “Here’s a Kind bar,
because you are kind”. On the kitchen counter he had a little jar of honey with a note that said,
“I hurt you mom.” We hung out the rest of that day. Nathan had just recently finished treatment,
and we packed up some of his stuff. I remember he asked me if it was ok to wash pillows. He
showed me some music he thought I’d liked, and he spun a nickel on the counter. We even
talked about God and church. He said he missed going, and we made plans for him to come
with me.
Midafternoon, I left to take the dogs for a walk, and he was sitting out on the front steps. As I
was walking away, he said “Stay safe out there”. I put my hand up and waved, but I didn’t turn
around. That’s it. I came home from my walk and walked into an altered world. My biggest fear
materialized before me. A living nightmare ensued with cops around my boy, and I screamed,
“He’s gone”, several times. As I was screaming in the bathroom, they were bringing him down,
and I did not look. I called my husband, “You have to come home, Nathan is gone”. He said,
“What do you mean Nathan is gone?”. I just reiterated that he was gone. In my small town,
word travels fast, and my sister and nieces were alerted somehow. People appeared at my
door, and were asking me, “Is it true?”, and I became numb to their questions. My family and I
will never be the same.
There are sadly many stories like mine, and many of us are turning our pain into purpose.
Those that live with addiction and those that love those that live with addiction know the shame
and stigma that comes with it. This is wrong. It’s a disease that needs to be treated, and those
that suffer are people who have succumbed to this disease. Would you be willing to assist us in
our efforts to provide education and end stigma by creating a permanent location for the Drug
Epidemic Memorial Wall? We currently have two virtual walls, one for names and one for
photos. However, a physical one would provide us a place to honor our children that fell victim
to this epidemic. I have attached a photo of my son Nathan. Would you be willing to meet with
us to discuss our plans for a Drug Epidemic Memorial? Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kate Sloan: Nathan’s mom
State Lead
Montgomery, MN
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