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

Dear First Lady Cecilia Abbott,
I am writing to you as a grieving mother and drug prevention & awareness advocate seeking funding
and development of a Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall to be created in the State of Texas. I’m
passionate about this effort because I lost my own daughter, Savannah, on May 22, 2021, at the age
of 18 to fentanyl poisoning just two weeks prior to her high school graduation. Too late, we sadly
learned “One Pill Can Kill” is the reality facing too many families in Texas. This was a complete shock
to our family, friends, and the entire community, and she is missed every single day by those who
loved her most.
My husband, Jeff, and I, always knew that Savannah was special as she had a big heart, an old soul,
and often proved she was wiser than her years. Savannah was a straight A student, competed in
Speech & Debate, attended a summer at Harvard for a STEM program, and was accepted to attend
the University of Texas Moody School of Communications. She enjoyed learning about politics and
was interested in being an advocate for those suffering from depression and anxiety. She was a
trusted confidant among her friends and an amazing mentor to her younger sister, Marina, who is now
also pursing education and athletics at UT. Savannah was full of life, she loved artistic make-up,
driving & singing with her sister, and laughing loudly from her belly! The grief is undeniable, never
ending, and has left so many with broken hearts.
I am committed to supporting the efforts of fentanyl education and awareness and have connected with
the “Angel Moms” of “Texas Against Fentanyl” www.TXAF.org and “A Force for Change”
www.aforceforchange.org . I know you are an Advocate too for Social and Emotional Learning and
Metal Health of children. Our children need to know the danger presented to them daily around this
epidemic, and we need our public figures to issue a “State of Emergency” to get funds moving sooner
rather than later. We need to equip our communities with the right tools to detect challenges, how to
speak with their children, and where to go for support! The passing of Tuckers Law SB3908 here in
Texas is only our first step, now we need action to get effective curriculum in the classroom and across
the communities. I’m hopeful that as the 1st lady of Texas and Mother you will understand the urgency
in ending this epidemic.
Would you help us in finding a permanent location for a Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall within the
beautiful halls and walls of our State Capitol? We have created two memorial walls, one with names,
and one with photos. I am including Savannah’s frame, below.
We are asking for the photos to be displayed in hard copy format, but also to have a digital wall display
as it updates on a consistent basis. The wall of the names can be projected on a wall so parents can
touch their loved one’s name. Our loved ones are victims of this war, a single use KILLS, there is no
room for learning from bad decisions on this topic any longer. We appreciate the work that was done
with TXAF and Governor Abbott at the “One Pill Kills” summit, but now we need action and the release
of funds to support our local non-profit organizations to get this work done NOW. Thank you in
advance for supporting our efforts and stopping this weapon of mass destruction.
Respectfully,
JoAnne Crownover, Mother of Savannah Renee Crownover, Forever 18
Austin, Texas
931