Ocean City Council Praises Woman Helping Others Battle Addiction

Ocean City resident Sally Onesty lost her son to heroin overdose. She has been saving lives since. Members of Ocean City Council praised Onesty at their Thursday meeting in advance of her receiving Ocean City's Martin Luther King Award on his namesake holiday.

"She’s saving lives," said Councilman Keith Hartzell. "We can’t count how many, and frankly it doesn’t matter, because she’s saving a lot of them. Her work is above and beyond anything that anyone can go through."

Her son, Tyler Onesty, died March 2017 at 22. Sally held the first ever Tyler Jay Onesty Memorial Scholarship Benefit last May at Golden Galleon Mini Golf, choosing the location because of Tyler's love for the game, according to Sea Isle News. The fundraiser helped pay for scholarships for students pursuing careers in addiction services, mental health or the medical field, Sea Side Isle reported.

Council Vice President Tony Wilson expressed gratitude toward Sally for her frequent Facebook posts raising awareness about addiction.

"I'm the father of a 19-year-old boy now," Wilson said. "... You kind of view things a little differently. There’s nobody out there more deserving than her."

Ocean City will hold its Martin Luther King Jr. Ceremony and Soul Food Lunch next Monday at noon, where the city will present Onesty with the award.

Read More: Ocean City Martin Luther King Ceremony, Day Of Service Jan. 21

Photo of Tyler Onesty provided by Godfrey Funeral Home.