Taylor Leggett, a 33-year-old mother of two and owner and operator of The Lawn Lady landscaping in Tyler, Texas, returned to her childhood home in Winn Parish to distribute 144 units of Narcan, valued at $5,000, to combat the continued rise in opioid related deaths. 

Leggett, born in Calvin, Louisiana, and later a college student in Natchitoches Parish, has maintained a deep connection to the area and its people despite her relocation to Tyler. Concerned about the rise of opioid overdoses and drug-related crimes in her hometown, she took action to provide a safe and accessible outlet to this life-saving resource.

On the morning of July 24, Leggett drove down from Texas with a box full of Narcan and passed out the medication in under two hours in front of the Winnfield Sno Cone stand, located off W Court St in Brookshire’s parking lot. She collaborated with a Texas-based opioid treatment advocate to facilitate her intentions, motivated by her deep emotional ties to the community and her desire to combat the local drug epidemic.

During the distribution, Winn Parish Sheriff Josh McAllister and members of his team visited the site to show support and speak with Leggett at length as the initiative progressed. The sheriff expressed interest in learning more about the resources she obtained and hoped for future partnerships across the parish, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration in addressing opioid overdoses.

Leggett explained that many people misunderstand the scope of the epidemic, believing overdoses only affect young drug users. “Victims can be as young as two or as old as ninety-five,” she explained, noting that many cases involve the elderly due to small mistakes such as medication negligence or accidental exposure. Narcan (a brand name for naloxone) can reverse overdoses within minutes when administered through a simple nasal spray, often with just one or two doses needed for successful application.

The community response was overwhelmingly positive according to Leggett. Several business owners in Winn Parish and neighboring parishes, including LaSalle and Natchitoches, reached out to her with the intention of supporting similar initiatives in their communities. Leggett plans to gather more resources to return to Winn Parish and distribute Narcan again in the near future, “This is just the beginning,” she said. “I want to keep bringing Narcan back home and doing what I can to help the people of this Parish.”