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The day Angela Kennecke, news anchor, learned that her daughter had died from an overdose of fentanyl, she was working on a story about the opioid epidemic.
"I got a frantic call from his father saying," I think Emily's OD. "You can not even describe what it's like to hear those words," Kennecke said.
Kennecke, a survey reporter with CBS affiliate in South Dakota, KELO, has been covering the opioid crisis for about 10 years.
She lost her daughter to the epidemic about four months ago and when she returned to work earlier this week, she shared her personal story with KELO viewers in the hope that this could save other lives.
On Friday, she spoke to "CBS This Morning" about her mission to end the stigma of opioid addiction and why she felt compelled to share her story.
"I thought I could let this loss, this devastation destroy me, or that I could do something. And during my career, I asked so many parents to talk to me, and only people in mourning who had horrible and tragic things happened to them … and I thought I had to speak. I have the obligation to talk about it. My main reason for talking about it is to erase the stigma surrounding addiction, especially heroin, opioids, "Kennecke told CBS This Morning on Friday.
The number of Americans dying from a drug overdose is increasing dramatically. The CDC estimates that overdoses killed more than 72,000 people last year and became the leading cause of death among Americans under 50 years of age.
Emily battled drug addiction for over a year, although Kennecke did not know that the drug was heroin. She says that she tried to get her daughter treatment, but was too late.
"It was the most shocking thing for me. Needles Middle class child, privileged, you know all these opportunities, "said Kennecke. "I feel so obligated to let everyone know that what happened to my daughter can happen to you, can happen to your child."
"I knew my daughter had a problem. That day, we plan an intervention. I just did not know what she was using. And I think we just need a lot more awareness. We need much more than judgment, compassion. And I try to do what I can to make changes in my own community in the country to get the help they need. And that's all I can really do with that.
Kennecke spoke to his daughter for the last time on Mother's Day. His message to parents: "Trust your instincts."
"I had to make a very good line between trying to help her, trying to talk to her and alienating or repelling her. I always tried to approach her with love, "she said. "We were working to get help, I did not get there in time."
For more information on the foundation that Kennecke started, go to Emily's Hope.
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