Father Speaks Out After Son’s Fentanyl Death: “It Was Just One Pill”

It doesn’t really matter what kind of family you’re from. This kind of thing—fentanyl—doesn’t ask who you are. That’s something Steve Muth learned in the most brutal way. His son, Zachary, was 23 when it happened. One pill. Just one, and everything changed.

“He Told Me It Would Never Happen to Him”

Steve still remembers the conversation. Zachary had said it himself—he’d never end up like that. He was careful, he had friends with Narcan, he wasn’t some reckless partier. And yet… it happened. He was away at college when he took what he thought was Xanax, passed along by a friend. But it had been laced with fentanyl, and there was no coming back from it.

“I think the part that hurts most is how quickly it all went wrong,” Steve said. “There wasn’t time. No second chance.”

Virginia’s New Tactics Against the Crisis

While families like the Muths are still grieving, places like Virginia are shifting their approach. Governor Glenn Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne, have been pushing back on fentanyl’s spread with a campaign they call It Only Takes One. The name speaks for itself.

The campaign focuses on four things: stopping the drug trade, raising penalties for dealers, educating the public, and giving people tools to save lives when things go wrong. It’s not just about arrests—it’s also about awareness. School staff are now required to alert parents if there’s any overdose activity, and there are tighter restrictions around tools like pill presses.

By the numbers, something seems to be shifting. According to the CDC, overdose deaths in the U.S. are finally dropping, with a notable dip across Virginia. But for those who’ve already lost someone, it’s… complicated.

Turning Loss Into Action

After his son’s death, Steve Muth teamed up with Dr. Joanna Sawyer to launch ZEM Life, a tech venture aimed at preventing deaths like Zachary’s. They’re working on a smartwatch that can detect an overdose in real time—and if needed, deliver Narcan immediately. It’s still early stages, but the goal is clear: fewer funerals, fewer “what ifs.”

Dr. Sawyer explains that fentanyl is uniquely cruel in how fast it acts. “It only takes a small amount,” she said. “You can’t predict it. You can’t see it. These pills are everywhere, and they’re mixed with who-knows-what. It’s chaos.”

A State’s Broader Strategy

Virginia hasn’t stopped at campaigns. A larger initiative, Operation FREE, is targeting drug trafficking with federal and local support. Since 2023, the operation has