Kansas Letters for Governor Kelly

Hailey Knoll’s Son

Dear Governor Kelly,
My name is Hailey Knoll. My precious son, Ethan Scott Knoll, passed away from fentanyl
poisoning on March 21, 2023, at the age of 22.
Ethan graduated from Holcomb High School in 2019 and went on to study welding at Garden
City Community College. He enjoyed motocross, trapshooting, football, baseball, bowling,
listening to music, the lake, hunting, fishing, family get-togethers, his many friends, and
watching the Garden City Wind baseball team. He also enjoyed volunteering to take K9 bites
to the Garden City Police K9 program.
Ethan was an avid KU and Chiefs fan. He spent most of his weekends with his girlfriend,
Autumn Wadley. Together, they enjoyed being with family, going out to eat, playing board
games, cooking and dancing in the kitchen, watching movies with popcorn and staying up
late like little kids.
Ethan always had a smile on his face and had a contagious laugh. He was a strong advocate
for the underdog and was always there for the people who needed him the most. He had a
huge heart and took especially good care of his niece, Raeli, by spoiling her and learning to
be the best uncle. He was also a beloved son, brother, and grandson.
Ethan enjoyed working on the family farm, Knoll, Inc., after school. He was working at Pete’s
Place in Dighton as a bartender, server, and cook at the time of his death. He made many
friends working behind the bar at Pete’s and enjoyed every moment.
His first use of pills occurred in 2018 as an occasional “party drug”. As the pills became
harder for him to find, his dealers introduced him to heroin and then to fentanyl. His life of
addiction began at the age of 19. Once he learned how deadly fentanyl was, he understood
the need for recovery and worked hard toward that goal.
The last five months of his life were his most successful. He had a job he loved, a girlfriend
he loved, and a family he loved, all of whom loved him back. Unfortunately, Ethan found
himself back with his dealers while out running errands. He had a fatal relapse that day.
We are so proud of how hard he fought the addiction, and so shattered that his efforts weren’t
enough in the end. Please help us honor those that were taken by fentanyl poisoning too
soon. A Memorial Wall is a great way to do that.
We will love and miss him forever.
Sincerely,
Hailey Knoll, Ethan’s mom; forever 22
Garden City, Kansas

Hazel Dornshuld’s Son

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
My name is Hazel Dornshuld. Last year on January 26, my 27-year-old son, Joseph, was
murdered by his so-called friend who gave him fentanyl. My life is pure agony every day. I'm
surprised that I've made it this long without Joey. I want to believe so bad that we see our
loved ones when we die. I'm scared that Joey was in pain when he died. I've been told Joey
did not feel pain. Most likely, he fell asleep, and he had no idea. My son did not overdose.
Fentanyl was given to him without his knowledge.
Joey moved into his own apartment. My son's friend called me and asked if I had heard from
Joey that day. Long story short, I told him to go into his apartment and see if he was in there.
Joey was on his couch with his headset on and his remote control for his video games in his
hand dead.
I have my son's phone. I saw and read everything he was doing the morning he died. His last
text was before 9:00 a.m. Joey was dead in his apartment all day. I feel so guilty that I didn't
call him that day. My heart is so broken, and I feel so much guilt. I want to thank you for being
kind and having compassion for others.
I miss him every day. My eyes, my heart, and my soul cry out every day. I know you're not
God, nor do I think you have all the right answers, I just want to believe that we do see our
loved ones when it's our time.
Please help us honor our lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning by putting up a Memorial Wall
in our State Capitol complex.
Thank you,
Hazel Dornshuld – Joseph’s mom; forever 27
Wichita, Kansas

Kelly Garner’s Daughter

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
My name is Kelly Garner. I lost my precious baby girl, Desiree Monique Washington, on
March 8, 2023. She was only 19 years old. She died from fentanyl poisoning.
Desiree was Mommy’s baby girl and was always my cheerleader. She would light up any
room she was in with glitter and bright colors. She was my everything and the one person
I could share anything with. She was always full of joy and always looking out for her
brothers, her sister, and myself. I will miss seeing her in my bathroom up on my sink doing
her makeup. I will miss her picking out my clothes and shoes. She was my fashionista.
Desiree had so many plans ahead of her. She wanted to attend nursing school. She
would follow me around work wanting to learn how to draw blood and take someone’s
blood pressure. She was so excited about helping others, but she never got the chance.
Her life was cut short, all because she was given a pill by her friend. She thought it was
Xanax, but it was fentanyl. One mistake cost my baby girl her life.
My life will never be the same, nor will that of my other children. We lost a big piece of our
hearts the day she left us.
Please help us honor those that were taken by fentanyl poisoning too soon. A Memorial
Wall is a great way to do that.
Thank you,
Kelly Garner – Desiree’s mom; forever 19
Leavenworth, Kansas

Lisa Brewer’s Son

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
My name is Lisa Brewer, and I am writing this letter on behalf of my son, Austin Gregory
Adams.
On July 14, 2020, my son purchased a pill believing it to be OxyContin. This pill changed
our lives forever. In the early morning of July 15, 2020, our son was found unresponsive
by his girlfriend in our basement. He was gone. This deadly pill was pure fentanyl. He was
poisoned.
This tragic event happened in Finney County, Kansas, (Garden City). His unjustifiable
death is one of thousands and thousands as a result of this Illicit Drug Epidemic our great
state of Kansas is facing today.
Austin was only 20 years old. He was a very caring, loving, young man. He was working
towards earning his HVAC apprenticeship and beginning the adult stage of his life. He
was to move into his first apartment with his girlfriend that very day. They were so excited
to be beginning their lives together.
Austin will never know the joys of being a husband or a father. We, his family, will never
experience these joys either. He is so greatly missed by his family and friends. My son,
along with all the other precious lives lost, did not ask to or deserve to die this way.
I am writing this letter as a grieving mother and as a member of the Kansas Drug
Epidemic Memorial Wall campaign. Our goal is to erect a Memorial Wall at our State
Capitol complex in Topeka similar to the DEA Faces of Fentanyl Wall in Arlington, Virginia,
to honor all lives lost in our state to illicit drugs.
We are pleading for your assistance and support. I extend sincere gratitude for your time.
Respectfully,
Lisa Brewer – Austin’s mom; forever 20
Dodge City, Kansas

Margaret Massey’s Son

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
Hello, ma’am, my name is Margaret Massey. I am a blessed mother of four children. I am
still speechless and very much in shock that I lost one of my children to this horrible drug,
fentanyl. My son, Jordan, was 34 years old when he died. He was way too young to leave
this earth.
I miss him every day. I miss his laugh, his smile, his voice every single day.
I think more awareness of this terrible drug needs to happen, and a Drug Epidemic
Memorial Wall should be in every state.
So many lives lost.
Thank you for your help and your time.
Sincerely,
Margaret Massey – Jordan’s mom; forever 34
Fayetteville, Kansas

Misty Griffith’s Daughter

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
Kebra Griffith was poisoned by illicit fentanyl disguised as a pressed Percocet pill on
February 26, 2022. Kebra was an honor student and studied pre-med, but life threw her a
curve in 2019 that led her down a destructive path for nine months. She fought hard and
managed to overcome that. Unfortunately, she had a trigger while giving birth when she
received fentanyl following a c-section in December 2021. She felt she would be labeled if
she told them about her substance abuse in the past and suffering from postpartum, so
she didn’t say anything.
Unfortunately, she reached out to a friend who knew someone that sold her the fake pill
that was pure fentanyl. She died in her room in my home leaving behind her two-monthold
daughter.
Fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction. It is not an addict-only issue. It affects all walks
of life and all ages. I was one of the parents that thought it would never happen to my
child. Unfortunately, I was dead wrong.
We need more education in schools and law enforcement. We also need to continue to
bring awareness to this opioid crisis that is now being driven by fentanyl. Will you assist
us in getting a Memorial Wall put up in our State Capitol complex?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Misty Griffith – Kebra’s mom; forever 28
Baxter Springs, Kansas

Natasha Sizemore’s Brother

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
My name is Natasha Sizemore. My brother, Dale Loveless, passed away from fentanyl
poisoning. He was only 26 years old.
My brother had a messed-up childhood. He was adopted by a family in Lincoln, Kansas at
11 years old. At the age of 14 he was a passenger in a car that was involved in a serious
accident. They hit a concrete barrier at 70 miles an hour. One person died, and the other
two were seriously injured, including my brother. He had bleeding on the brain, a broken
back, broken leg, and a broken arm. He was on life support for a time but, thankfully,
pulled through. It was a very long recovery. He was in the hospital for a month, followed
by rehabilitation in Lincoln, Nebraska to relearn everything, including who he was.
Upon his release, he went back to Lincoln, Kansas to his adoptive family, which resulted
in further mental issues for him. They were not a nice family and did not treat him well.
Throughout his trauma, he became addicted to prescription medication. When the doctors
stopped prescribing it for him, he went to the streets for them. Sadly, he was given
fentanyl disguised as a pain pill.
My brother didn’t want to die.
We must make a stand. There are too many kids dying from fentanyl poisoning. Please
help us recognize our loved ones with a Memorial Wall.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Natasha Sizemore – Dale’s sister; forever 26
Wichita, Kansas

Rhonda Kemp’s Mom

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
I lost my daughter, Lacy, to an opioid overdose in August of 2014. She was my only
daughter and my best friend.
Lacy first used opioid pain pills when she was only seventeen and had undergone two
knee surgeries. In her mid-20s she battled addiction and that inherent physiological draw
that many contend with. She knew moments of peace but many more where her body
craved what would ultimately end her short time on earth.
Lacy battled this horrible disease alone and in shame, mostly because her family,
including me, were ignorant of how to help her. Pain killers and other drugs alter a
person's brain chemistry. Many times, I felt like I was talking to another person, not to my
daughter.
Before Lacy's death, she was clean for several months and was feeling hopeful. She was
even talking about a rehabilitation group. Unfortunately, a visit to the ER for kidney stones
and a hasty release, thereafter, left her with pain pills and a new prescription of Klonopin
to sleep.
That mixture took her life. She was just 30 years old.
She was a bright and talented woman, so full of love and compassion for other people.
She brought so much joy to everyone that she met, and she lived her life vivaciously.
Whenever she was around, she made people laugh and feel good. She deserved so
much more than she got from this life… all caused by this horrible opioid crisis.
I will always try to make her short life count by helping others who are struggling with the
same brain disorder we call addiction. Will you assist us in getting a Memorial Wall put up
in our State Capitol complex?
A grieving mother,
Rhonda Kemp – Lacy’s mom; forever 30
Derby, Kansas

Stacey Rogers’ Son

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
My name is Stacey Rogers. I am a member of the Kansas Drug Epidemic Memorial Wall
campaign. Our goal is to have a Memorial Wall put up in all 50 State Capitol complexes to
honor our loved ones lost to this drug crisis in our Nation.
I found my oldest son’s lifeless body on October 18, 2022. The cause of death was
fentanyl intoxication. He didn’t want to die. Richard was only 39 years old. He was a
loving son, father, brother, and friend.
Richard was a talented drummer, and an adventurous soul. We miss his unique sense of
humor and love of music. My life has been forever changed by the loss of my son.
Please help us honor our loved ones lost to fentanyl, and other drugs, in Kansas by
helping us with our Memorial Wall.
Thank you for your consideration,
Stacey Rogers – Richard’s mom; forever 39
Wamego, Kansas

Susan Flack’s Son

Dear Governor Laura Kelly,
My name is Susan Flack. I am currently living the saddest path I could ever have
imagined. I lost my son, Matthew, to fentanyl poisoning on May 14, 2022, a day so deeply
engrained in my memory. Matthew was my first-born son. He was full of fun, life, and love.
He was a sports fanatic. He was a college graduate. He was a wonderful big brother to his
three brothers and a loving father to his two small children.
Matt battled addiction for several years. He tried so hard to overcome his addiction. He
had been clean for 18 months and verbally proclaimed that he could never relapse as he
knew too well all the fentanyl-laced drugs that have made their way into our country, state,
city, and neighborhoods.
We were all so proud of Matt for staying on the path and becoming the father he wanted
to be to his two children, Taylor, 11, and Hunter, seven. Matt’s life was falling into place.
He was working with his best friend and brother, being a father, going fishing, playing
baseball, and going on dates with his daughter. He was simply doing great.
Early on Saturday morning, May 14, 2022, that horrible call came in. Matt would not
answer his bedroom door which was locked. I knew immediately it had happened. He
slipped. He was searching for that good old “high”, but instead got fentanyl, and it took his
last breath. It took him. It took my son, their brother, their father, their nephew, their
grandson, and their friend. Fentanyl had taken him.
I remember the last time I hugged Matt. He was smiling. He was happy. He said, “I love
you, Mama”. This opioid and fentanyl crisis is profound, devastating, and so tremendously
unfair to the American family.
I ask you, in the memory of so many wonderful children, parents, brothers and sisters, to
help us keep our loved ones’ memories alive by supporting a Memorial Wall with the
names and faces of those lost to drugs in Kansas. A Memorial Wall will help us keep this
crisis at the forefront for our lawmakers to help us all overcome this epidemic of death by
fentanyl.
A grieving mother,
Susan Flack – Matt’s mom; forever 37
Shawnee, Kansas

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