'Black Balloon' event held in Portland to remember people who died from drug overdoses 502 Mainers died from accidental overdoses in 2020. Share Updated: 6:31 PM EST Mar 6, 2021 502 Mainers died from accidental overdoses in 2020. Share Updated: 6:31 PM EST Mar 6, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript REMEMBER THE 502 MAINERS WHO DIED FROM ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSES IN 2020. ((NAT)) BLACK BALLOONS LINED THE SKY OVER PORTLAND'S EAST END SATURDAY AFTERNOOON... EACH ONE A SYMBOL OF LIVES LOST LAST YEAR. 18"23"49-55THIS IS AFFECTING EVERY RACE CREED RELIGION INCOME LEVEL EACH OF THESE PEOPLE HAS LOST SOMEBODY COURTNEY FOR TRINA MILLS... IT WAS HER SON SHANE.. FIVE YEARS AGO... JUST TWO DAYS AFTER HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY... AND 18 MONTHS OF SOBRIETY... 8:05-8:19 IT'S HEARTWARMING ITS ALSO VERY SAD TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE I FEEL VERY SAD THAT I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THIS REASON BUT I ALSO DIDN'T' WANT TO MISS IT BECAUSE OF THIS REASON. TRINA LAST YEAR ALONE... 502 MAINERS DIED BY ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE... THE ORGZANIZER OF THE BLACK BALLON EVENT IN PORTLAND, KARI MORISSETTE, SAYS WHAT'S TRAGIC ABOUT THOSE DEATHS IS THAT THEY'RE MOSTLY PREVENTABLE... 18:27:40-55 A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SOCIETY SEE PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS AS LIKE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL AND IT'S LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF STIGMA AROUND IT BUT LIKE WE'RE HUMANS NOBODY WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND SAID I WANT TO GROW UP AND BE A DRUG ADDICT. KARI THE ISOLATION CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD ON THE RECOVERY COMMUNITY. 18:25:08-18:25:21 THE OPPOSITE OF ADDICTION IS CONNECTION AND SO THE RECOVERY COMMUNITY WAS HIT REALLY HARD BY THE PANDEMIC JUST BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO IS ABOUT CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THAT WAS ALL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN 2020 COURTNEY THAT'S WHY SEEING SO MANY PEOPLE COME TOGETHER ON A COLD SATURDAY IN MARCH... TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE GONE... BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... WAS A WELCOME SIGHT... A BRIGHT SPOT