What is fentanyl poisoning? These State of the Union guests lost their son to it

WASHINGTON—Their son Zach's death was the only red flag. 

Laura and Chris Didier talked to their children about the dangers of drugs and thought they would see warning signs if one of their three children started to go down a bad path. 

Their youngest, 17-year-old Zach, didn't have a drug problem, but he died of fentanyl poisoning on Dec. 27, 2020. They don't know why he bought Percocet through a Snapchat conversation, but the Didiers say investigators told them it was the first transaction that led to his death. 

"Basically any child with a cellphone is at risk," Chris Didier, a pilot and Air Force veteran, told USA TODAY. 

Who was Zach Didier?

Zach was a high school senior, an Eagle scout, soccer player and high school musical star who had no history of drug abuse. His young life ended because he took a fake prescription pill that was full of fentanyl. 

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A toxicology report showed no traces of Percocet in the pill – only fentanyl – was purchased by way of a Snapchat message.

Zach was among nearly 94,000 Americans who died of a drug overdose in 2020 during  the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

By August 2022, the count in a year period had reached more than 108,000, according to federal data. Fentanyl overdose is now the leading cause of death for adults 18 to 45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But Zach is not remembered as a statistic by his parents, who are turning grief into action.

They remember the kid who played "Christmastime is Here" on the piano as the dog seemed to sing along. They remember the bright student who got accepted into UCLA, among other schools. They remember his kind heart.

They remember the closing lines of the letter he wrote in ninth grade to his future self, part of which is now tattooed on the inside of Laura's right forearm: "Always remember our friends, family, dogs and potential we have in life. Good luck on whatever project you're working on right now. Don't forget to smile. Have the best day of your life."

State of the Union guests Laura and Chris Didier trying to save lives

Zach has been gone for more than two years, but even in death he is living out one of his dreams.

When he couldn't decide in 2020 whether to major in theater or psychology, he told his parents he just wanted to help people. 

He still is.

He's not here, but his parents say his story is saving lives. "It's incredible," Laura Didier told USA TODAY. "Because I know that this is what Zach would want, just knowing that his story is touching other people."

Through dozens of assemblies, his parents have reached more than 40,000 young people with warnings that "one pill can kill/"

On Tuesday night, they will be guests of Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., at President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.

Laura Didier will be in the House gallery, wearing a silver locket with two photos of Zach inside, resting close to her heart. Chris Didier has a bracelet that reads, "Victims of Illicit Drugs," a constant reminder to take action. 

"Taking action is an antidote to despair," he said.

It's action that has saved lives in their hometown of Rocklin in Placer County, California, about 22 miles northeast of Sacramento, Kiley told USA TODAY.

"The scale of this problem in our country right now can seem just utterly overwhelming, and it's just seems to keep getting worse and worse," the congressman said. "But I think the sort of impact that they're having is really a great source of hope that we really can turn this around."

Fentanyl poisoning crisis gaining attention from Biden, Congress

Here are a few actions political leaders could take that would immediately help to save lives, according to the Didiers: 

• More education in schools to raise awareness about poison pills, counterfeit pills, fentanyl poisoning and how every child with a phone is at risk
• Enhanced screenings on what is transmitted through the U.S. border
• Updated communications laws to make it harder for drug dealers to prey on children through social media apps and other mediums

Kiley said increasing awareness is something on which Republicans and Democrats could agree. 

"We need to make sure every parent is educated about what's out there and how truly lethal these substances are and the multiple avenues through which those who peddle these substances are reaching these young people," he said. 

An American dies every 7 minutes of fentanyl poisoning. 

As Biden lays out his plan to address the epidemic, the Didiers will know the pain of families losing loved ones. 

"Zach is the one who's been invited, but he's not able to be here," Chris Didier said. "We are extremely grateful for (Kiley) and others who are saying we really have to bring this to light with this fatality rate. With this many people losing their lives, we have to bring the appropriate attention to it."

Candy Woodall is a Congress reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at cwoodall@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.