One Conversation Could Save a Life: Fentanyl Awareness at Pryor Middle School
“It’s like having a plane crash every single day.”
Karla Carlock used that comparison to help Pryor Middle School students grasp the lives lost to fentanyl poisoning across the country. During a school assembly, she brought the tragedy closer to home by sharing the story of her daughter, Rain.
Rain was a Cameron University student pursuing a teaching degree when she died after taking a counterfeit pill she believed was Xanax. Carlock shared that a search of her daughter’s computer revealed Rain had tried to determine what a legitimate pill should look like. That search could not protect her from the fentanyl hidden inside.
Carlock has joined other parents who have lost children to fentanyl in the Angel Army. These “Moms on a Mission” bring fentanyl awareness to young people, hoping to spare other mothers the heartbreak they carry.
Students also heard about Jeffrey, another young person whose life ended after taking what he believed was a prescription pill. Both mothers shared that police officers and detectives told them counterfeit pill producers use pharmaceutical-grade pill presses, creating pills so convincing that even law enforcement officers cannot distinguish a genuine pill from a counterfeit without testing. Their stories reinforced a critical warning: a pill’s appearance cannot guarantee its contents or safety.
One student asked an astute question: “How much time do you have?”
The mothers explained that there is no reliable window of time to count on when someone experiences suspected fentanyl poisoning. They emphasized calling 911 immediately and discussed how Narcan, the brand name for naloxone, can help reverse an opioid overdose. Their message was urgent: recognize the danger, seek help, and act.
Students listened closely and followed the presentation with thoughtful questions about fentanyl, emergency response, and protecting themselves and others.
Awareness Through Rain’s Law
Giving students access to this information is the purpose behind Oklahoma’s Rain’s Law. Named in memory of Carlock’s daughter, House Bill 1484 requires age-appropriate instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness for students in grades 6 through 12. Carlock’s advocacy helped bring that effort into Oklahoma classrooms.
Pryor Public Schools thanks Mrs. Carlock and other members of the Angel Army for sharing their stories and giving our students an opportunity to learn about a danger that took their children’s lives.
One pill can end a life. One conversation can reveal a danger. One lesson can help a student recognize the risk. One informed decision can spare a family unimaginable loss.