On June 14, 2009, Tyler Yount lost his battle with addiction. He was 23 years old.  He died from an accidental overdose after relapsing.  He had been drug free for 11 months before his overdose. Tyler left a loving family and many friends.

 

Three years later Tyler’s mom, Kathy, found herself at an International Overdose Awareness Day event in Peru, Illinois. She was so moved by the event that she went home to Mt. Zion and started planning her own event for the following year with her husband, Mike, son Jeremy, and some close friends.

 

Our Foundation Begins

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During the planning of this event, the Tyler Yount Foundation Ltd. was created in order to receive funds used to support the many programs that the Foundation participates in.  The International Overdose Day 5k Run and Memorial Service has taken place annually since the first event in 2013.

After the first Overdose Day Event in 2013, in response to the growing epidemic of opioid overdoses in our community, the Foundation began a program that would provide training and the lifesaving opioid reversing drug, Naloxone, to first response agencies and individuals in Macon County.

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Overdose Responder Program

 

After receiving certification for the program from the State of Illinois, the Tyler Yount Foundation Emergency Overdose Responder Program began in early 2015. Since then, over 300 persons have been trained to administer naloxone in an overdose emergency. These responders include law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, probation officers, and many individuals and families that are affected by addiction.

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In addition to the Emergency Overdose Responder Program, the Foundation has become active in the Macon County Hybrid Court, as well as area treatment and sober living agencies.