Wake Monarch Academy

Celebrating the Wake Monarch Academy Class of 2026! We are proud to honor three incredible seniors and celebrate all they accomplished. Through hard work, perseverance, determination, and focused recovery, these graduates reached a major milestone, and their futures are shining bright. As they head to college and careers, each of them is stepping forward with purpose and strength. Congratulations, graduates! Your WMA team will always be cheering you on. 💜🧡

We are excited to share about The Lounge at Wake Monarch - our new Alternative Peer Group (APG) for teens and young adults in recovery or seeking positive support and connection.

The APG is a place to find your people, build community, share honestly, learn, laugh, eat together, and know you’re not alone. Recovery should never happen in isolation. Young people deserve a space where they feel safe, supported, and understood.

💜 This is your space. Find your people.
🧡 Ages 13 - 21 | Connection | Peer Support | Activities | Community

Interested in learning more or getting involved? Reach out - [email protected]

#4 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑴𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑬𝑫 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑹𝑶𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑬𝑵𝑻! 🛑✊

This is the fourth post in my series of information in honor of our son, Carrson. For the Legacy of Love, Resilience, and Recovery. We are doing this to save another family from the pain we are enduring.

𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐊𝐄𝐘!!!! 📢

Through this pain I found information that every family needs to see. Today I am sharing a news report from Hawaii 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. While we were living the worst tragedy of our lives — one we will carry every single day — this story was breaking thousands of miles away, all the way across the Pacific.

7-OH does not care where you live. It does not care how old you are. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰:

⚠️ 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦: In Hawaii investigators walked into a convenience store and purchased 7-OH gummies for $24 — no ID, no age check, no questions asked. As of today North Carolina has no final enacted law specifically restricting 7-OH, though I am grateful that legislators are actively working to change that. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, we have seen in other states that enforcement is the real battle. Carrson was 28 years old. No age limit would have saved him. The only real solution is getting 7-OH completely off the shelves. Not regulated. Not age restricted. 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃.

⚠️ 𝐈𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲: These products come in gummies, drinks, flavored tablets and candy forms — bright packaging, fun flavors, nothing that looks remotely dangerous. They are designed that way on purpose. If you saw them in your child's backpack or bedroom you would not think twice. That is exactly what they are counting on.

⚠️ 𝐀 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩: Doctors in Hawaii are now reporting something that should alarm every parent — they are seeing people come through their doors who have never experienced addiction before in their lives. Young people. First responders. Everyday people who believed they were taking something natural and safe. 7-OH is creating brand new addicts out of people who never saw it coming.

⚠️ 𝐈𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: Hawaii just reported its first 7-OH death — a young woman found dead in downtown Honolulu. From Hawaii to Georgia to North Carolina this is spreading and it is not slowing down.

⚠️ 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫: A mother in Hawaii whose son ended up in rehab from 7-OH said this — "They just sell it to the general public. It is a struggle for us emotionally, financially, and just mentally. It is hard. It is hard."

I know in my heart that had Carrson never taken that first pill — had that person behind the counter told him the truth instead of marketing these products deceptively — Carrson would be here today.

7-OH began a chain of events that took my son. That is what I know. That is what I will spend the rest of my life making sure people understand.

Talk to your children. Talk to your family. Show them this series. Show them Carrson. Because I promise you — you know someone who needs to hear this.

Please read this article and share it with every parent you know.

👇👇👇 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 👇👇👇

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/04/28/states-first-7-oh-death-raises-alarm-over-potent-product/

🔴 𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 #𝟓 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧. 🔴

State’s first 7-OH death raises alarm over potent product The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office reported the state’s first fatality connected to 7-hydroxymitragynin.

𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑴𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑬𝑫 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑹𝑶𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑬𝑵𝑻! 🛑✊

Starting today, I’m sharing a series of posts in honor of our son, Carrson. For the Legacy of Love, Resilience, and Recovery. We will do our best to help save another family from the pain we are enduring and will continue to endure.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲! He had over four years of hard-earned recovery and worked in a professional role bringing others into treatment. He was around detox and support systems all the time; he knew the stakes and never would have risked everything he built for himself. He simply went into a v**e shop to buy a certain flavor he liked and mentioned he was having some back pain. The person behind the counter suggested these "pills." 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 "𝐍𝐎." He wasn’t looking for a high—he was a professional in the recovery world who was flat-out lied to.

𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐊𝐄𝐘!!!! 📢

Think about this for a second: Would any of us walk into a local convenience store and buy he**in, co***ne, or fentanyl right off the counter next to a pack of gum? Of course not!! We know those are life-destroying drugs.

So why are we okay with 7-OH being sold the exact same way? ⚠️𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑪𝑨𝑹𝒀 𝑻𝑹𝑼𝑻𝑯: 𝑰𝑻'𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑨𝑴𝑬 𝑨𝑵𝑨𝑳𝑶𝑮𝒀!⚠️ These deceptive products are being purchased at 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬, 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, marketed as "𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠."

𝑰𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚...

⚠️ 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝑶𝒑𝒊𝒐𝒊𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒆: 7-OH hits the same receptors in the brain as he**in and fentanyl.

⚠️ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍: Scientific studies show it can be up to 30 times stronger than morphine and carries a high risk of dependency and overdose.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/legal-morphine-rise-kratom-and-7-oh-us-2025a1000cco

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/aimcc.2025.1249

⚠️ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒑 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚: Because it’s sold in a bright package at a 𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞, it "feels" safe—but it carries risks similar to the street drugs many fear most.

⚠️ 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 "𝒌𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎"—𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕. While the plant has a mix of compounds that touch the brain’s receptors, concentrated 7-OH is a different animal. It targets the brain with the intensity of a dangerous opioid, which is why it carries such a high risk of dependency and overdose.

⚠️ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒔 𝑩𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒍: Detoxing from 7-OH is reported (𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲) to be even more painful and physically intense than withdrawing from he**in or fentanyl. Because it locks onto the brain so tightly, the body’s "crash" is extreme, making it nearly impossible for someone to quit on their own without help.

This article from Michigan Medicine tells another family's story and explains how these synthetic products are being sold as 'wellness supplements' while destroying lives right from the corner store.

https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/life-destroying-addiction-can-start-corner-store?fbclid=IwdGRjcARrAzRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEePgMhnLuzzJj7mmIL0OJwcWZ4FD4GzkXPRUbNZbH94N3BZoaglP_865SKP18_aem_fd2-QP-S7W3XljOltpqB-g

Life-destroying addiction can start at a corner store In this story a patient, his doctor and other Michigan Medicine experts warn of dangers of 7-OH, which is touted as a derivative of kratom and is widely available, but packs far more opioid danger.