Hundreds of motorcycles ride to raise fentanyl awareness Saturday in Kane and DuPage counties

More than 100 motorcycle riders and families affected by the fentanyl crisis gathered in St. Charles on Saturday and rode to Carol Stream to raise awareness and support each other in grief.

The ninth annual Ride for John–Remember US ALL event, organized by fentanyl awareness group My Child’s Life Matters, began with breakfast and live music from Moonshine Bros. at Alley 64 in St. Charles.

My Child’s Life Matters was founded in 2016 by Kathy and Robb Zander after their son, John M. Allen, died from a fentanyl overdose July 26, 2016. The organization was founded with the purpose of helping other families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl.

“I told my husband that my son wasn’t going to go down as another statistic, so we started the ride,” Zander said.

Zander said the annual event is not intended to be a fundraiser. She said the goal is to show families that they aren’t suffering alone and to create a space where they feel comfortable talking openly and without judgment.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid considered much deadlier than heroin and was a main contributor to a huge spike in overdose deaths since the early 2010s, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The numbers of U.S. deaths from opioid-related overdoses topped at about 80,000 in 2023.

Riders hit the road at 11 a.m., headed for the Carol Stream Town Center at 960 N. Gary Ave.

When the caravan arrived in Carol Stream about 2 p.m., the first stop was at the memorial wall. It was an emotional scene as riders and families affixed hundreds of pictures of loved ones lost to fentanyl, ranging in age from infants to seniors.

In addition to the memorial wall created during the event, picture boards were set up along the walkway in the park, each adorned with hundreds of pictures, totaling nearly 10,000, of people who were killed by fentanyl in Illinois.

At the Town Center, organizers, public officials and groups combating the opioid crisis spoke about fentanyl, the victims and the work My Child’s Life Matters does to spread awareness and support.

DuPage County officials, including Sheriff James Mendrick, State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and County Board members Greg Schwarze and James Zay, spoke at the event.

Representatives of organizations that included Law Tigers, a motorcycle injury law firm, and DuKane A.B.A.T.E. (A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education) also spoke.

Law Tigers representative Steve Graef spoke of Zander’s strength and compassion. He said after hearing her story, he was moved by her determination to become an activist, despite her grief.

“[Zander] rose up to help other families understand what fentanyl can do,” Graef said. “She stands here as a beacon of hope for everybody. Kathy’s out there sharing her pain, turning it into an optimistic way to give passion back to the community.”

Drug Enforcement Administration agent Fidel Arroyo Jr. was at the event promoting the agency’s “One Pill Can Kill” campaign. He said while no agency can solve the opioid crisis alone, the DEA is proud to stand alongside My Child’s Life Matters and the rest of the supporters who share the same goal of raising awareness about fentanyl and the devastating impact it has.

“Drugs don’t just harm those who consume them,” Arroyo said. “They tear through families, communities and futures. Far too many innocent lives are lost and countless more are affected by the ripple effects of addiction.

“We are so proud of all the work that everybody here is doing,” Arroyo said. “It’s sad to say there are so many faces on the board that are too young and will forever be young.”

Mendrick, who has been a longtime supporter of My Child’s Life Matters and an annual attendee of the ride, blamed the fentanyl crisis in Illinois on the Safe-T Act and the state’s sanctuary policies. He said these were two pieces of legislature he plans to address if elected Governor in 2026.

Zander spoke last, alongside another mother who experienced a similar loss and each shared the the stories of their own sons’ fatal experiences with fentanyl.

“My son is not a dead-beat junkie. None of these kids are,” Zander said.

As the emotional stories concluded, dozens of parents, including Zander’s mother, joined them on the stage to offer support, exchanging tearful hugs and whispers before joining hands in silent reflection.

For the final tribute of the event, participants gathered in the park and wrote the name of loved ones on balloons before releasing them all, as they do each year.

After the balloons were released, “JohnFest” was in the park from 3 to 6 p.m., featuring live music from Southern Jack, food trucks and drink vendors, silent auctions and raffles for a variety of prizes, the biggest being a new motorcycle.

In addition to its annual events, My Child’s Life Matters helps families by paying for counseling for siblings who have been left behind, family support therapy and marriage counseling.