6 Lost To ODs Mourned At Vigil: 'He Had A Beautiful Spirit'

NORTH FORK, NY — Candles flickering in the fading light, a silent crowd gathered Sunday night for a vigil at Greenport's Mitchell Park to mourn the lost and comfort one another in the wake of a deadly batch of fentanyl-laced cocaine that led to a rash of eight overdoses and six deaths on the North Fork and Shelter Island over eight days.

Arms wrapped around one another for support, faces marked by pain, members of the Greenport business community and residents stood for six minutes of silence to remember the six lives cut short by the scourge on sleepy village streets.

The vigil was organized by Reese Dunne who said it was important to come together at a time when so many are hurting. "Just like our candles their souls will continue to burn on," she said.

She added: "We are human and it's important to take time to grieve, not just move on to the next thing. Greenport has lost a lot of amazing people this week."

Joan Olszewski, who lost her grandson Seth Tramontana, stood at the vigil with his brokenhearted brother, whose face was streaked with tears as friends came to wrap their arms around him.

Her grandson Seth, Olszewski said, lived with her; he was just 27 years old. He, along with others who died, was a member of the Greenport's hospitality community canvas, working at Fortino's Tavern and at Green Hill Kitchen in past years.

Everyone loved him, she said. "He was like the mayor of Greenport," she said softly. "He was the life of the party. He didn't have a bad bone in his body. He had a beautiful spirit."

Seth, she said, marched to his own beat, but cared about others with an open heart. "He'd give you the shirt off his back," she said.

Olszewski, born in the village like her mother before her, taught in Greenport for more than 30 years — and in the past days, residents and lifetime friends have come out in force to support her, she said. Restaurant owners, trying to find a way to deal with the unthinkable that's befallen a tight-knit community, have been bringing food for days, and have promised more in the coming week. "I could feed this whole town," she said.

Reflecting on his short life, Olszewski said her grandson gave her 27 years of beautiful memories, of joy. "He's going to live on," she said. "His spirit is already living on, in all of these people."

Dana Owens said, like any mother, she worries about her own kids and was devastated to see young lives lost to overdoses. "It's heartbreaking," she said. "This is every parent's worst fear."

Fentanyl is deadly, Owens said. "They didn't even have a chance."

The one comfort, she said, could be found in a small town whose families have long shared histories and memories. "Everyone knows everyone," she said. "And when something like this happens, everyone is there for each other."

But, Owens added, there is a need to find outlets for young people in the village.

Others seek to turn grief into action. A Narcan training, with Narcan kits for distribution, will take place on Wednesday, August 18, at First At South at 4 p.m. The training will be hosted by Community Action for Social Justice.

CASJ was also onhand at the vigil, handing out Narcan kits. "It can save a life," said Maxine Phillips, who came with boxes of state-funded kits and information to share.

"We need to pay more attention," said Diane Voelker. "There aren't nearly enough services for people who need or want help."

Narcan, as well as syringe exchanges, need to be available, Voelker said. "No family should say,'I don't need this. It won't happen to me.' You can't recover from death."

On Saturday, Narcan kits were also distributed at local businesses and bars by CASJ.

On Monday, the Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library will offer training and Narcan kits at 3 p.m.; registration is requested, but not required.

According to Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley, there were seven overdoses and five deaths on the North Fork and one overdose and death on Shelter Island. The majority have been attributed to cocaine laced with fentanyl, he said.

No deaths were reported Saturday night, he said.

Southold Town Police, Shelter Island Police, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office and Suffolk County Police Department are investigating, he said.

"We collectively urge that anyone who has purchased cocaine or other narcotics recently on the North Fork or Shelter Island, or know of family member or friend that has purchased, safely dispose of these potentially lethal products," Flatley said.

As of Saturday night, Flatley said police were "working toward" the point of making an arrest.

All of those who overdosed or lost their lives were between 25 and 40 years old. And, according to local business owner Ian Wile, many worked in the Greenport hospitality industry.

Flatley said the rash of overdoses was the worst the North Fork has seen "by far. Most years we don't have any fatal overdoses, maybe one, tops," he said.

All Southold Town Police officers are supplied with, and trained to deploy, Narcan, Flatley said. "Two of the overdoses were saved with the application of Narcan," he said.

Rocked by grief, community members turned to social media to sound the warning cry, imploring anyone who might have the lethal cocaine to throw it away or seek help.

On Saturday, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell reacted to the news: "The struggle of opioid addiction is a national crisis. It's a much bigger issue than that of any one town and certainly not unique to Southold. We offer regular Narcan training for the public but, that's not addressing the larger issue. The sad fact is that tragic deaths from opioid addiction will not stop until we are serious about focusing on the causes of addiction and putting the resources in place to treat it. Drug addiction isn't a crime, it's a disease, and we need to start treating it that way with adequately funded programs and honest public dialogue."

Russell added that in the specific case of Southold, there is a criminal investigation element to this that must be considered.

Liana Sananda, a local resident, "in light of the devastating news," hopes not just for Narcan training but for awareness to be raised about fentanyl test strips and other kits to check drugs for contamination.

"It is a sad day for all of us as a community and fellow neighbors," local business owner Sharon Sailor said.

Prevention advocates also weighed in on the rash of deaths.

Jeffrey Reynolds, president and chief executive officer of the Family and Children's Association in Mineola, said fentanyl has long been a deadly threat.

"We've been sounding the alarm for the last two years that fentanyl is being put into virtually every street drug that exists," he said. "The headlines about 'bad' batches of cocaine leave me wondering what a 'good batch of cocaine is, when the reality is the cocaine claims lives even without fentanyl contamination."

The pandemic also left many struggling with addiction, experts said.

Other residents and business owners in the community turned to social media to share their feelings of helplessness and despair.

Alisha Posteraro Buckingham wrote: "It's sad when people can't see past the dark and empty, forgetting stars shine brightest in that dark."

According to local business owner Ian Wile, who first posted about the string of deaths on social media, the hospitality industry in Greenport is reeling.

"A pall of sadness washed over this village last night, and I fear we are not done," he said.

Anyone who might want information about how to use fentanyl test strips or Narcan but does not feel comfortable coming forward at a public event can email info@nysocialjustice.org or call 866-599-7260.