EXCLUSIVE Former Marine, 26, dies from accidental overdose in Nevada – leaving behind two young children: ‘Fentanyl robbed us of a devoted husband and a caring father’

A Nevada widow whose husband died of an accidental fentanyl overdose is shedding light on the drug’s harrowing impact.

Jacob Wade, 26, a former Marine, had been a devoted family man to his wife, Britain Tomlin, and children, Walker and Blakely, when he accidentally overdosed on a drug cocktail containing fentanyl in February.

It is unclear what other medications Mr. Wade was taking, but accidental fentanyl overdoses have become an increasingly common story in the US. Many victims don’t even know they are using it.

Ms Tomlin is now warning of the dangers of the drug, which kills one American every eight minutes.

“Fentanyl has robbed us of a wonderful man: a devoted husband, a loving son and a caring father,” she said.

“I am committed to raising awareness about the devastating fentanyl and opioid crisis and urging the government to step up efforts to help people struggling with addiction.”

“We need more resources to support individuals battling substance abuse and to help their families.”

Ms Tomlin and Mr Wade met in 2018 after he returned home from the army. The two shared an ‘instant connection.’

“Before we knew it, we were married and embracing the arrival of our precious children,” Mrs. Tomlin said.

Mr. Wade was an aspiring entrepreneur who spent his free time fishing, hiking and riding dirt bikes. He also regularly volunteered in his community, such as building homes for families in need.

But he also had a history of drug use that started when he was a teenager. It started with marijuana before escalating to harder drugs.

‘During our relationship he made a huge effort to overcome his addiction, and there were times when he thought he had overcome it. But then he would fall back into old patterns and the cycle would start again,” Ms Tomlin said.

“The drug addiction had turned Jacob into a different version of himself – someone who no longer recognized who he had become.”

“The actions he took while under the influence haunted him when he was sober and cast a shadow of sadness and self-disappointment.”

The Department of Homeland Security has declared fentanyl “the greatest challenge facing the U.S. as a country.”

The powerful synthetic opioid is 50 times stronger than heroin and 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is used by doctors for patients with severe pain or terminal diseases.

It’s cheap, highly addictive, relatively easy to smuggle into the US, and cost-effective for dealers to mix it into their inventory, which saves them money and can prolong or enhance the high that users experience.

But it takes a vanishingly small dose of fentanyl to cause a fatal overdose. Just two milligrams, the equivalent of five grains of salt, is enough to cause death.

Because it is in other popular medications, many people who die from an overdose do not know they are taking fentanyl. Fentanyl is also blamed in part for the sharp decline in life expectancy in America over the past three years.

It is now found in everything from cocaine to molly and street benzodiazepines like Xanax.

The opioid that was cut into virtually every street drug in the country has killed a record 75,000 Americans in 2021, according to the latest figures, the equivalent of 1,500 lives lost every week.

And deaths from fentanyl-laced drugs have increased fiftyfold in just over a decade.

It was also linked to the death of Euphoria star Angus Cloud, 25, who died earlier this year from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine and meth.

‘It’s so common to think that addiction is just a choice. How can the people we love willingly take the path of using drugs or risking their lives? They have so much to live for, and their choices impact many others,” Ms Tomlin said.

‘We tend to label those who make such choices as selfish, self-destructive, irresponsible and reckless. But the truth is that addiction is not limited to any specific type. It doesn’t matter whether you are strong or weak, selfless or selfish, kind or heartless. It can affect anyone.’

Ms Tomlin said her relationship with Mr Wade was strained at the time of his death. She had recently moved with the children and was temporarily staying with relatives.

The day he died, he stopped responding to her texts. Mr. Wade’s parents noticed he was unresponsive.

‘I couldn’t go upstairs because paramedics were still trying to help him. My children were in our neighbors car and witnessed the police, ambulances and fire trucks gathering around our house,” Ms Tomlin said.

“Even today, my daughter, who was only three years old, remembers her father being put on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.”

At the hospital, doctors told her that Mr. Wade had died.

“I fell apart, afraid to break the news to our children and his parents,” Mrs. Tomlin said.

“I spent about an hour with him, and before I left I took a necklace I had given him and left a bracelet with his mother. I whispered my last words and left, carrying the weight of that heartbreaking day with me.”

After her husband’s death, Mrs. Tomlin took to social media to raise awareness of fentanyl and drug overdoses.

“If you know someone is struggling, don’t wait and take action,” she said.

“Show them kindness and honesty, reach out as soon as possible, and keep checking in.” Life is too short to let fear of judgment hold us back. Yes, my sadness is always there, heavy and strong.’

‘I will carry Jacob with me everywhere. But you know what? Despite all that pain, I have found ways to grow and experience true happiness.”

‘My life isn’t over yet. Jacob’s memory lives on and is cherished by all who loved him.”

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Narcan, the nasal spray that quickly reverses opioid overdoses.

The drug can now be sold over the counter without a prescription.