Man shares emotional testimony during congressional hearing after son loses his life to fentanyl

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- An emotional testimony on Thursday in Milwaukee from a man who lost his son to the fentanyl crisis.

Rick Rachwal's 19-year-old son, Logan, died in his UW-Milwaukee dorm room after taking a pill laced with deadly fentanyl.

On Thursday, Oct. 24, Rachwal spoke at a congressional field hearing in Milwaukee. It was put on by Republicans who say the Biden-Harris Administration is making the drug problem worse with its border policies. Wisconsin Democrats say Republicans killed a bipartisan deal to secure the border because they thought it would help former President Trump's campaign. Politics aside, everyone agrees fentanyl is a problem in our country and it needs to be dealt with. We sat down with Rick Rachwal who shared his story of loss and trying to make a difference.

"If there's anything as painful as the loss of a child, I cannot begin to imagine what that might be," said Rick Rachwal, Logan's dad.

Three years, eight months and 10 days after Rick Rachwal, his wife Erin, and their youngest son Caden flew to the UWM campus praying this wasn't happening…the death of their oldest son Logan is a story this House Judiciary Committee wants to hear.

"Please remember my son and every other American who has lost their life to fentanyl poisoning," said Rachwal.

"Thank you, Mr. Rachwal, your son will not be forgotten," said a panelist.

The promise is something to take comfort in.

"Just to have somebody remember their child that's the biggest thing. They were human beings they were children, they made mistakes," said Rachwal.

Rachwal hopes his testimony moves lawmakers to spread awareness to students everywhere.

"They get alerts when there's a storm coming. These kids need to know these dangers are out there. This is over 200 deaths per day. Where is the urgent response from our elected officials?" said Rachwal.

Logan's dad sat down with us following the hearing, sadly recalling their family decision to identify the 19-year-old in his dorm room where he was found dead on Valentine's Day 2021.

"It's a dark image and it's one we don't like to go to but we walked up to his dorm room and saw him lying in bed and he had a Squishmellow next to him and he was just a kid," said Rachwal.

A father living without his first born, praying Congress fights the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and increases penalties for dealers selling fentanyl-laced drugs.

"Our hopes and dreams for Logan were shattered and we now live with the what if's and what could've been," said Rachwal.

The Rachwals now run the Love Logan Foundation trying to spare others the heartbreak they now live with.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45.