Anne Funder, whose 15-year-old son died from an accidental fentanyl overdose, gave a moving and tearful speech about the dangers of the deadly drug, prompting a response from Trump.
The California mom talked about how her son, Weston, was an amazing big brother to his three younger siblings and that he enjoyed soccer, surfing and hockey.
She tearfully described how he was a bright, energetic young man who was growing into a responsible young man.
Funder said he warned him about the dangers of drugs and told him to stay away.
But tragically, after taking a dose of something thought not to be the deadly synthetic drug, her son passed away.
He then blamed Democrats for her death, receiving massive applause from an excited crowd.
Anne Fundner, a mother whose 15-year-old son died after ingesting pills laced with fentanyl, gave a moving speech Tuesday night that appeared to prompt a response from Donald Trump.
“I hold Joe Biden, Kamala Harris (the border czar), Gavin Newsom (what a joke) and every Democrat who supports open borders responsible for my son’s death,” she told the crowd at the Republican National Convention.
Her blunt statement blaming Democrats for her son’s death was popular with the crowd, who seemed on the edge of their seats listening to Funder.
‘Like most teenagers, Weston wanted to fit in. And in a moment of social pressure, he tried to do something someone had given him and it cost my baby his life.’
“We did everything right. I had those conversations with him and still the fentanyl found my son. And on February 27, 2022, our lives were shattered and our baby was gone.”
She said the Democrat’s support for lax border restrictions has led to an increase in fentanyl smuggling into the United States and, by extension, led to the death of her son Weston.
Financier called for cartels – which make most of the fentanyl consumed in the United States – to be designated as terrorist organizations.
The move could lead to fewer deaths among young Americans, he argued.
After his comment, Trump appeared to say “We should do it” to his new running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio).
When Funder called for the cartels to be designated as terrorist organizations, Trump seemed to agree.
Funder on stage with images of her son Weston displayed behind her
At times, Funder began to stutter during his speech, clearly feeling the strong emotions that resurfaced when he spoke about his son.
“It wasn’t an overdose, it was poisoning,” Funder said.
“His entire future, everything we wanted for him, was shattered in an instant, and Joe Biden does nothing.”
The latest CDC data found that 107,941 Americans died from overdoses in 2022 – the equivalent of 295 deaths per day and an increase of 1 percent over the previous year.
Fentanyl was the main force behind the increase, which is lethal even in minuscule doses, and the illicit drug was responsible for nearly 70 percent of the deaths.
Young Americans are also particularly vulnerable to the drug: There are many reports of children, like Weston, taking a pill and dying.
Unfortunately, provisional figures for 2023 suggest that the epidemic is still increasing.
Fentanyl is often included as a filler in illegal drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine. It usually comes in pill form.
There were an estimated 110,640 deaths during the 12 months to October of that year.
Oregon, which has been experimenting with drug decriminalization, is currently seeing the sharpest rise in deaths.