My Main Goal Is to Save Lives: After losing son to Fentanyl, Mike Loomis turns grief into action
{Photo: Mike Loomis demonstrates taking Naloxone at public events even when it’s against the advice of law enforcement}
On April 22, 2021, Mike Loomis and Lorie lost their son, James Loomis, to a fentanyl overdose.
In the years since, Mike has become a relentless advocate for overdose prevention and harm reduction. Through his grassroots organization, Race Against Drugs, he’s handed out thousands of doses of Narcan, trained community members, and pushed local leaders to act, not just talk.
“I’m in a good place,” Loomis says. But grief hasn’t softened his urgency.
He sits outside the courthouse handing out Narcan donations, often in the middle of the night. “We give it out,” he says. “I had 4,000 hits of Narcan.” He’s pushed for a Naloxone policy in the school system, calling it common sense. “I had a medical program. I shot myself, train, and use it.”
Loomis says he’s grateful for what progress has been made but wants to see more. “I know that number,” he says of the 441 overdose deaths. “I think what’s been done is great—but we need more action.”
One major roadblock? Government red tape. “State government approval creates hindrances,” Loomis acknowledges. “Don’t play political games with a human.”
A Push for Policy and for People
Loomis points out that more than 5 million in opioid settlement funds remain unspent locally. That money, he says, could support reentry programs, grassroots recovery efforts, and outreach to the unhoused—communities he works with directly.
“The City works with me, but the County won’t,” he says. “This includes a one-year-old baby.” Loomis regularly distributes Narcan to people living outside and speaks with those most vulnerable to overdose.
Contributed Photo: Mike Loomis speaks with Mayor Jason and Chief Rummage of Lexington, NC.
“I like to see the death numbers go down—It was 441 at one time—and pictures of young people,” he says. “It makes it real.”
Loomis doesn’t just hand out Narcan—he helps people get where they need to be. “We get called in the middle of the night, we’re going to take them wherever they need to go,” he says. Then, a quiet challenge: “Why can’t everybody do that?”
What Medical Professionals Say About Naloxone
Medical experts across the board support expanding access to naloxone—better known as Narcan—as a proven way to prevent fatal overdoses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose when administered in time and urges wide distribution to the public.
The American Medical Association (AMA) encourages everyone at risk—friends, family, community members—to have access.
Dr. Patrice Harris, former AMA president, has said, “Naloxone is a critical, life-saving intervention, not a crutch.”
Naloxone is safe, not addictive, and has no effect on people not using opioids.
Communities with high naloxone availability experience fewer overdose deaths.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, the White House Drug Czar and a physician, put it simply: “You can’t help someone recover if they’re dead.”
Loomis’s work mirrors that urgency and calls for action, not red tape.
Remembering James and Lifting Up Michael
His son is surviving son, Michael Alexander Loomis (aka “Gypsy”), more than six months clean and now shares his story on the nonprofit’s website.
“I was raised by my loving grandmother and father, Mike Loomis, alongside my brother, James Loomis...
On April 22, 2021, while coming home from the dealer’s house, I received the devastating news that my brother had passed away. At that time, I had been clean for nine months—but I was still living dirty. I wasn’t using, but I was still selling meth. After my dad hung up the phone, I ran back to the dealer’s house and got an eight ball.
Today, I am six months clean.
On January 30th, I picked up my six-month chip. ❤️”
Awareness Event in Welcome, NC
On Sunday, April 27, at 1:00 PM, Loomis will host a fentanyl awareness event at the corner of Hinkle Lane and Old Highway 52 in Welcome, NC. The gathering will feature a new billboard, information tables, free Narcan distribution, and families from across the state who have lost loved ones to fentanyl.
“This is about saving lives,” Loomis says.
Event Info:
Sunday, April 27, 2025
1:00 PM
Corner of Hinkle Ln & Old Hwy 52, Welcome, NC
Contact: 336-313-1913
Narcan and educational materials available on-site
