Trail of Truth movement marks 10th anniversary with a moving beachside display on Long Island
Started in 2016 as a memorial arts project in New York, the national initiative now spans the country, allowing grieving families to honor loved ones lost to substance use-related causes.
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On September 7, 2025, under rainy skies at Robert Moses State Park on Long Island, the Trail of Truth movement marked its 10th anniversary with a moving beachside display of dozens of tombstone-like memorials.
Started in 2016 as a memorial arts project in New York, the national initiative now spans the country, allowing grieving families to honor loved ones lost to substance use-related causes, particularly fentanyl poisoning.
Participants walked the shore in the shadow of Fire Island Lighthouse, creating a visual “cemetery” that highlights the magnitude of the losses and fosters community healing.
Mia Hause from Truth Pharm explained the project’s origins and impact: “It’s the 10th anniversary of the Trail of Truth. It’s a memorial arts project that memorializes loved ones lost to substance use related causes started in New York and now it’s all across the country.”
Local organizer Lori Carbonaro emphasized the event’s dual role in remembrance and advocacy: “We are here an art installation of tombstones of people who have passed away due to substance use disorder. This is actually a celebration of these people’s lives, and it’s a gathering for us—it heals us.”
Grief counselor Steve Chassman from LICAD addressed the local devastation: “These are Long Islanders that at one time walked these beaches. We’ve lost over 1 million people. It’s a shame we’ve done so little so far.”
Grieving mothers shared raw emotions amid the rain-soaked procession.
Katherine Shaw felt “overwhelmed with the love that’s out there” seeing her son memorialized. Tara Weigl reflected on her son’s tragic slip: “One time can kill. We’re celebrating what should be his 32nd birthday, but it was robbed of it because of fentanyl.”
The Trail of Truth’s core demands—immediate treatment access, ending discrimination in medical care, increased naloxone distribution, and responsible opioid settlement fund allocation—aim to reduce stigma and compel change.
A larger national gathering is planned for Washington, D.C., on Sept. 27, uniting with other groups to amplify their message.
