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THE PEABODY ADVOCATE–Friday, November 17, 2017
Runners carry memory of Colton Buckley
Participants of the Fourth Annual Colton Buckley 5K Road Race take off from the starting line at the intersection of Church and Lowell Streets on Nov. 12. (Advocate photos by Christopher Roberson)
By Christopher Roberson
F
or the fourth year, hundreds of residents from
across the North Shore and the Northeast laced up their sneakers for the Annual Colton Buckley 5K Road Race.
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The race is held in memory of Colton Buckley, who at 22 years old died on April 6, 2014, after overdosing on heroin laced with fentanyl. The next day would have been his 23rd birthday. His father, Todd Buckley, said that at the time, Narcan was not as readily available as it is now to reverse the effects of an overdose. He also did not fully grasp the severity of the situation as it was happening. “I didn’t understand the power of addiction; I was very naĂŻve,â€? Buckley said during the Nov. 12 race. He has since learned many things that he did not know four years ago. “It crosses every socioeconomic group,â€? he said of the opioid crisis that has gripped the state. Since Colton had been captain of the track team at Bishop Fenwick High School,
Buckley said it was fitting to have a road race in his memory. “It’s getting larger every year,� Buckley said of the race, adding that this year, the Colton Buckley Foundation partnered with Citizens Inn Transition. “It was a perfect fit for us; we fully support what they’re doing over there.� Buckley also said compassion must continue for those trapped in the throes of addiction. “They feel shamed as it is,� he said. However, overdose deaths are still much too prevalent in Massachusetts. “The numbers are still, unfortunately, growing,� said Buckley. “There’s no one answer.� According to the State Department of Public Health, there were 51 overdose-related deaths in Peabody between 2012 and 2016. During the same period of time, there were 25 deaths in Danvers, 51
deaths in Beverly, 57 deaths in Salem and 40 deaths in Woburn. “We’re not going to stop until this problem ends,� said Buckley, adding that addicts should always take advantage of treatment options. “People have got to realize that treatment is effective.� The race itself was won by Conor Murphy, 16, of Providence, R.I., who finished with a time of 17 minutes, 35 seconds. Patrick Hosman, 15, had the best time for Peabody, finishing in second place with a time of 18 minutes, 21 seconds. Other notable participants included nine members of the Buckley family, Ward 2 City Councillor Peter McGinn, Ward 4 City Councillor Edward Charest, City Councillors-at-Large Thomas Walsh and David Gravel,
COLTON RUNNERS | SEE PAGE 8
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