A Maine mother wants others to know that substance abuse disorder is a pervasive serious issue that can impact anyone, but it's also preventable. Susan Lamoureux has been heavily involved in raising awareness about the opiate epidemic ever since she lost her daughter Lexi to fentanyl poisoning in September of 2017. On Saturday, Lamoureux coordinated the Maine version of the national "Drug Epidemic Awareness Walk," a chance to hold space with other grieving families and educate others about the opiate crisis. The event was held at Fort Allen Park on the Eastern Promenade in Portland. Attendees walked holding 12 banners featuring the names and faces of more than 1,200 recent drug overdose victims underneath a caption that read "Can You See Me Now?" “If you look at every one of these kids in every one of these pictures on every one of these banners, they look just like your kid, your neighbor’s kid," Lamoureux said. "What you think of addiction and who you think is a drug user, you have no idea.”Organizers also said that societal stigmas around drug use can prevent someone struggling from seeking help in the first place. According to the Maine Attorney General's Office, 504 Mainers died from drug overdoses in 2020, a 33% increase over the 380 deaths in 2019.