What was to be a fun bachelor party in Florida ends with best man dead, 3 friends hospitalized, another sentenced to prison



A group of friends traveled to Florida for what was supposed to be a fun bachelor party, but things took a tragic turn when three participants were hospitalized and the best man died.

Now one of the friends has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

'Mr. Nabors’ actions took Tom’s life and, in doing so, tattooed an indelible sadness on the hearts of myself, my wife, our daughter, and the more than 500 people who attended Tom’s funeral.'

As Blaze News previously reported, several University of Alabama fraternity brothers who graduated together traveled from Georgia, Alabama, and Connecticut to Santa Rosa Beach for the party in May 2022.

During the celebration, cocaine reportedly was distributed to the partygoers, and one of the bachelor party attendees suffered a medical emergency. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found 26-year-old Thomas Gleason unconscious on the floor. While deputies were administering lifesaving measures to Gleason, three other men at the bachelor party "collapsed and became unresponsive."

The Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, "All the men were transported to Sacred Heart, but days later, Thomas Gleason, 26, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, took his last breath in front of his parents when he was taken off life support."

Bob Gleason — the father of Thomas Gleason — told AL.com, "By the time we got to Charlotte [for a layover], the doctor was like, ‘Do you want us to keep him alive?’ That’s how it was."

The distraught father said his son "was gone" within 10 minutes after being taken off life support.

The three hospitalized friends spent several days in ICU before recovering.

The groom-to-be reportedly was not one of the victims, and his wedding was called off in the wake of the tragedy. Gleason was set to be the best man. It isn't clear if the wedding was rescheduled.

Authorities launched an investigation into the tragic death and determined that Gleason died from "a lethal dose of fentanyl."

Bob Gleason noted, "When the toxicology came back, Tom wasn’t even drunk. He had his wits about him, and so did everybody else. But the fentanyl level was off the charts."

Investigators determined that the fentanyl had been mixed with cocaine that Tom Gleason had ingested. Gleason's fraternity brother and fellow party attendee, John "J.D." Nabors, 26, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, allegedly brought the cocaine to the party and distributed it among his friends.

Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson stated, "This case relied heavily on witness testimony proving Nabors provided the drugs during the party. That single decision altered the course of an immeasurable number of lives."

On November 15, 2022, a grand jury indicted Nabors on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death. He turned himself in to the Walton County Jail on Nov. 30, 2022. Nabors was released on $25,000 bond.

On December 12, 2024, Judge Jeffrey Lewis sentenced Nabors to eight years in prison for the fatal fentanyl poisoning. His sentence will be followed by five years of probation.

Sheriff Adkinson said, "Our hearts ache for the Gleason family and an entire community who is still in mourning. Let this be a lesson to all of us of the profound losses we face at the hands of drugs and addiction."

Bob Gleason pointed out, "It wasn’t like these guys went down the street and found a dealer. They trust [Nabors] because he was their fraternity brother. They got it from a trusted friend, and this is what happened."

Gleason added, "Mr. Nabors’ actions took Tom’s life and, in doing so, tattooed an indelible sadness on the hearts of myself, my wife, our daughter, and the more than 500 people who attended Tom’s funeral."

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Dana Carvey and wife announce death of 32-year-old son due to 'accidental drug overdose'



Dex Carvey died at just 32 years old, according to a statement shared on social media by actor and comedian Dana Carvey. The statement is attributed to "Dana & Paula," a reference to Dana Carvey and Paula Zwagerman, Dex Carvey's parents. They are also the parents of Thomas Carvey.

Their son died due to "an accidental drug overdose," the couple noted.

"Dex packed a lot into those 32 years. He was extremely talented at so many things--music, art, film making, comedy--and pursued all of them passionately," they wrote. "It's not an exaggeration to say that Dex loved life. And when you were with him, you loved life too. He made everything fun. But most of all, he loved his family, his friends and his girlfriend, Kaylee."

"Dex was a beautiful person. His handmade birthday cards are a treasure. We will miss him forever," they continued. "To anyone struggling with addiction or who loves someone struggling with addiction, you are in our hearts and prayers."

— (@)

Dana Carvey is known for his work on "Saturday Night Live," as well as his roles in the movies "Wayne's World" and "The Master of Disguise."

He shared a photo and wrote, "F*** the tabloids. This is my boy."

He also shared another photo along with the description, "Dex and me working together. What a joy."

Many on social media offered their condolences on the devastating loss.

"I lost my 34 year old daughter to Fentanyl. My heart aches for you and your family," someone wrote in response to Carvey's post on Instagram. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

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FACT CHECK: Have 70,000 Americans Died From Fentanyl Overdoses?

This statistic is accurate

FACT CHECK: Were There 110,000 Overdose Deaths In 2022?

'There were an estimated 109,680 overdose deaths in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'

Teacher arrested after overdosing on fentanyl in front of students; police discover drugs in classroom closet



A New Jersey middle school teacher was arrested after he allegedly overdosed on drugs while in the classroom.

Police said that 57-year-old Frank Thompson, an art teacher at Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, fell unconscious on Nov. 29 while in his classroom. The school resource officer responded to the scene and "observed signs indicative of a drug overdose."

That officer then administered Narcan, which reduces or reverses the effects of opioids. After the Narcan was administered, Thompson showed "marked signs of improvement."

Upon investigating further, police discovered "a quantity of a suspected controlled dangerous substance and various items of drug paraphernalia were located in a closet in the classroom," the Westfield Police Department said in a statement.

Thompson was formally charged on Jan. 5 with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (fentanyl), possession of drug paraphernalia, and endangering the welfare of children.

The school district informed parents of the incident, WNYW-TV reported. After the incident, the students were removed from the classroom and it was sealed off to be thoroughly cleaned. The school said that a former teacher returned to the school to continue classroom instruction.

Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said:

The Westfield Police Department continues to prioritize its ongoing partnership with the WestfieldPublic School System to ensure it has the safety and security resources it needs on a daily basis. In this case, the swift actions of Officer Riga, who is on-site at RooseveltIntermediate each school day, proved instrumental in maintaining the safety of the students andadministering potentially life-saving measures to Mr. Thompson.

Officials, however, did not say why it took nearly six weeks to charge Thompson. They did not say whether the teacher had a regular habit of using drugs while at work.

The Westfield Public School District, moreover, is not commenting on the incident.

"While the Westfield Public School District cannot comment on personnel matters which are confidential, we will maintain a continued focus on student and staff safety and on preserving the integrity of the classroom learning environment," said Superintendent Dr. Raymond González.

Ohio Senate Candidate Tim Ryan Took Tens Of Thousands From Opioid Makers Blamed For Overdose Crisis

Democratic Ohio Senate Candidate Tim Ryan took thousands of dollars in donations from opioid manufacturers

‘Catastrophic’: DEA Administrator Says Mexican Cartels Are Killing Americans With Fentanyl At ‘Record Rates’

'The whole world of drugs has changed'

'I almost died': Chilling video shows moment deputy collapses from fentanyl exposure



Shocking video shows the moment that a California deputy nearly died from a drug overdose just by being "too close" to fentanyl. If not for the quick actions of a fellow police officer, the deputy "would've died in that parking lot," according to the officer's partner.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department shared bodycam video of one of their rookie officers nearly dying during a drug bust on July 3. San Diego Sheriff's Office Deputy David Faiivae was exposed to the powerful opioid while processing drugs at the scene of an arrest.

Faiivae's field training officer, Corporal Scott Crane, said they found a white substance in a vehicle, which tested positive for fentanyl.

"That stuff's no joke, super dangerous," Crane cautioned Faiivae. "Hey dude, too close, you can't get that close to it."

"A couple seconds later he took some steps back and he collapsed," Crane says in the video. "I ran over to him. And I grabbed him. He was OD'ing."

Faiivae said, "I remember just not feeling right and then I fall back. I don't remember anything after that."

"It was an instant. It's as though my lungs locked up. I couldn't breathe," Faiivae said as he fought back tears, remembering his near-death experience. "I was trying to gasp for breath, but I couldn't breathe at all."

The quick-witted Crane rushed to the police vehicle to retrieve Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, which is a nasal spray used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Crane sprayed the Narcan into his partner's nostrils.

"I got you, OK? I'm not gonna let you die," Crane tells Faiivae.

Another San Diego Sheriff's Office Deputy arrives on the scene and Crane yells, "I need Narcan!" The fellow police officer administers more Narcan to Faiivae.

"Fire department got there, put him on the gurney, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he started to OD again," Crane remembered as they rushed his partner to the hospital. "He was OD'ing the whole way to the hospital."

"It's an invisible killer," Crane warned of fentanyl. "He would've died in that parking lot."

"I don't think people realize the severity of how deadly it really is," said Deputy Faiivae, who survived the accidental exposure. "I almost died of a fentanyl overdose."

San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore urged people to share the video, "It might save the life of your son, daughter, friend or loved one."

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 80 to 100 times more potent, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. "Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person's body size, tolerance and past usage," the DEA states.

Report: Drug overdose deaths far exceed COVID-19 deaths in San Francisco



The number of San Francisco residents who have died from drug overdoses this year far exceeded the number of Bay Area residents who have died from the coronavirus.

The shocking number of overdose deaths come as the COVID-19 pandemic has understandably been the top public health story of 2020. That has unfortunately meant that the opioid crisis has taken a back seat in terms of public health awareness.

What are the details?

According to the Associated Press, 621 people have died in San Francisco of drug overdoses thus far this year, a staggering number that equates to nearly two deaths per day.

On the other hand, just 173 San Fransisco residents have died of COVID-19.

The eye-popping number is a significant increase over drug overdose casualties in San Francisco last year when 441 Bay Area residents, still an alarming number, died from drug overdoses.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the opioid crisis has been worsened by fentanyl, an extremely toxic drug that is lethal to humans in very small amounts, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the Chronicle:

The numbers come a day after the Centers for Disease Control reported 81,230 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020 — the largest number of drug overdoses for that length of time ever recorded and a sign the epidemic is getting worse around the country.

The pandemic has also intensified the epidemic by disrupting city services and forcing many people, who often rely on others to help save them if they overdose, to use alone.

Unfortunately, the number of overdose victims could have been higher.

The Chronicle reported that first responders have used Narcan nearly 3,000 times between January of November in San Francisco this year. Narcan reverses the effects of opioids, and has saved countless lives.

Anything else?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose deaths from cocaine have also increased substantially during the pandemic.

"Overdose deaths involving cocaine also increased by 26.5 percent. Based upon earlier research, these deaths are likely linked to co-use or contamination of cocaine with illicitly manufactured fentanyl or heroin. Overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine, increased by 34.8 percent. The number of deaths involving psychostimulants now exceeds the number of cocaine-involved deaths," the CDC said last week.