KPIX CBS NEWS
Opioid addiction tragedy drives Sebastopol couple to help others through 'Micah's Hugs'
By Sharon Chin
January 25, 2023 / 6:36 PM / CBS San Francisco
A Sebastopol couple's fight against drug addiction is personal, and they are channeling their own family's grief into helping others avoid the same fate.
Micah and Michelle Sawyer share their family's painful journey. Micah's son, Micah Jr., was hooked on heroin for years.
But you wouldn't know it if you looked at his achievements.
"He was an amazing person. He was captain of the football team two years in a row. He broke weightlifting records while was struggling with addiction," said Sawyer.
In college, Micah Jr.'s addiction landed him on the streets. He went into rehab and stayed clean for half a year before relapsing. He died at age 22 of a fentanyl overdose.
Today, Micah Sr. and Micah Jr's stepmother Michelle are turning their grief into good. After Micah's death in 2019, the Sawyers founded Micah's Hugs to fight drug addiction.
The nonprofit is named for the young man's bear hugs.
"At his funeral, everyone commented about how they're going to miss those big hugs, so what better-fitting organization name than Micah's Hugs," said Michelle.
The couple has applied for state grants to obtain thousands of boxes of naloxone, the overdose-reversing drug known by the brand name Narcan. They distribute and train people on how to use the life-saving treatment.
Recently, the Sawyers are at Homeless Action Sonoma, just one of the dozens of Narcan distribution and training events the pair has led in the Bay Area over the last year in Micah Jr.'s memory.
"Sometimes I get a lot of anxiety built up, and I have to calm down a little bit because I think of him a lot when I do these trainings," said Micah Sr. "Sometimes it gets overwhelming, but in the end, it's a really good way to think of him and think of him in a positive way."
In addition, the husband and wife team works to break the stigma of drug addiction, taking part last year in a Memorial Poster Project at the National Mall to show the faces of the opioid crisis.
The Sawyers also have also provided 30 scholarships to give people a fresh start in a sober living environment.
Annie Falandes of Homeless Action Sonoma says the pair is making a difference.
"They're so brave to tell their story over and over again," she said. "They inspire me because they save lives."
"If we could save one person's life, we'd consider it a success," said Micah, Sr.
Michelle says Micah, Jr. would have approved of Micah's Hugs. "He helped everyone, so knowing that we're helping people, that part of it, he'd really be proud of," she affirmed.
The couple's community service includes volunteering with Catholic Charities and Sonoma County 4H. They also provide food and clothes for the homeless.
They're now producing a movie about Micah's story for their drug prevention work among middle and high school students.
So for creating Micah's Hugs to fight drug addiction, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Micah and Michelle Sawyer.
MADISON SMALSTIG
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
November 21, 2022
Michelle and Micah Sawyer, founders of the nonprofit Micah Hugs, at
Roberts Lake Park in Rohnert Park, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Local nonprofit to host Narcan training sessions in Monte Rio, Cotati
All attendees will be given two doses of Narcan and shown how to administer the life-saving treatment in opioid overdose cases.
The Sebastopol dad and stepmom, Micah and Michelle Sawyer, who sought to honor the memory of Micah’s late son with a nonprofit dedicated to combating the stigma of drug addiction are now trying to familiarize as many Sonoma County residents as possible with a lifesaving overdose treatment. The nonprofit Micah’s Hugs is holding two training sessions at the end of the month focused on the use of Narcan, an over-the counter treatment that reverses opioid overdoses. “We want to get it in the hands of everybody that we possibly can,” said Micah Sawyer, who cofounded the group with his wife, Michelle. “You don’t have to be an addict or a family of an addict to be close by when somebody overdoses.” The nonprofit, named after Micah’s son, Micah Jr., aims to bolster education and resources around drug addiction.
The first training will take place 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Rancho Adobe Fire Cotati Station, 1 E. Cotati Ave. The second is at the same time on Nov. 30 at the Monte Rio Community Center, 20400 Bohemian Way. At the sessions, Michelle and Micah Sawyer plan to distribute two doses of Narcan nasal spray to every attendee and teach them how to administer the emergency Naloxone treatment. That demonstration will take about 10 to 15 minutes, Micah Sawyer said. The two will also provide fentanyl test strips and answer questions related to topics such as drug addiction and how to recognize signs of overdose. The trainings are open to the public, and people under age 18 are encouraged to bring an adult or parent with them. Attendance is limited.
Though use of Narcan does not require specialized training, according to the drug’s website, the sessions planned by Micah’s Hugs aim to give residents hands-on experience and the ability to learn more about drug addiction, Micah Sawyer said. “It’s a very simple process to actually give it,” he said, adding that the packages have clear instructions. “We more than anything want to get people familiar with it.” These sessions are one of multiple resources being rolled out by Micah’s Hugs, formed by the Sawyers after Micah Jr. died of a fentanyl overdose in 2019. The Narcan distributed during the training is provided through a grant from the California Department of Health Care Services as part of the Naloxone Distribution Project, Michelle Sawyer said. Three weeks ago, Micah’s Hugs received about 2,100 boxes of Narcan to distribute to people in need. In February, they received about 1,800 boxes and have since done about 25 distribution and training events, including events in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Oakland. The locations range from fire stations to homeless encampments. “We have been trying to go to multiple locations just to try to hit all over Sonoma County,” Michelle Sawyer said. The organization still has about 200 to 300 boxes to distribute from the first delivery. Micah Sawyer said when his son was struggling with addiction, he bought doses of Narcan to keep around the house just in case. It cost about $150 for two doses.
“People that are in need aren’t going to go around and pay $150 a box for it,” Micah Sawyer said. “That’s why we started looking into this and getting these grants to be able to give it out for free.”
KPIX CBS NEWS
January 25, 2023
A Sebastopol couple's fight against drug addiction is personal, and they are channeling their own family's grief into helping others avoid the same fate.
Micah and Michelle Sawyer share their family's painful journey. Micah's son, Micah Jr., was hooked on heroin for years.
But you wouldn't know it if you looked at his achievements.
"He was an amazing person. He was captain of the football team two years in a row. He broke weightlifting records while was struggling with addiction," said Sawyer.
In college, Micah Jr.'s addiction landed him on the streets. He went into rehab and stayed clean for half a year before relapsing. He died at age 22 of a fentanyl overdose.
Today, Micah Sr. and Micah Jr's stepmother Michelle are turning their grief into good. After Micah's death in 2019, the Sawyers founded Micah's Hugs to fight drug addiction.
The nonprofit is named for the young man's bear hugs.
"At his funeral, everyone commented about how they're going to miss those big hugs, so what better-fitting organization name than Micah's Hugs," said Michelle.
The couple has applied for state grants to obtain thousands of boxes of naloxone, the overdose-reversing drug known by the brand name Narcan. They distribute and train people on how to use the life-saving treatment.
Recently, the Sawyers are at Homeless Action Sonoma, just one of the dozens of Narcan distribution and training events the pair has led in the Bay Area over the last year in Micah Jr.'s memory.
"Sometimes I get a lot of anxiety built up, and I have to calm down a little bit because I think of him a lot when I do these trainings," said Micah Sr. "Sometimes it gets overwhelming, but in the end, it's a really good way to think of him and think of him in a positive way."
In addition, the husband and wife team works to break the stigma of drug addiction, taking part last year in a Memorial Poster Project at the National Mall to show the faces of the opioid crisis.
The Sawyers also have also provided 30 scholarships to give people a fresh start in a sober living environment.
Annie Falandes of Homeless Action Sonoma says the pair is making a difference.
"They're so brave to tell their story over and over again," she said. "They inspire me because they save lives."
"If we could save one person's life, we'd consider it a success," said Micah, Sr.
Michelle says Micah, Jr. would have approved of Micah's Hugs.
"He helped everyone, so knowing that we're helping people, that part of it, he'd really be proud of," she affirmed.
The couple's community service includes volunteering with Catholic Charities and Sonoma County 4H. They also provide food and clothes for the homeless.
They're now producing a movie about Micah's story for their drug prevention work among middle and high school students.
So for creating Micah's Hugs to fight drug addiction, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Micah and Michelle Sawyer.
Micah and Michelle Sawyer are active members of the Sebastopol community who volunteer for many different organizations within Sebastopol and Sonoma County.
Micah was born in Sausalito and lived in Muir Beach and San Francisco before his family moved to Sebastopol when he was 14. Michelle is a Marin County native who was born in Petaluma and grew up in her great grandfather’s house in Tomales which she owns today. Michelle grew up as a 4-H and FFA member and giving back was instilled in her at a very young age. Micah has been active in any organization that his family partakes in and has volunteered countless hours helping all around.
Together Micah and Michelle have a blended family of four children who all graduated from high school in Sebastopol. Micah is the father to his late son Micah Hamlow-Sawyer who passed away June 21, 2019, at the age of 22 and his daughter Kody Hamlow-Sawyer, 21. Michelle’s daughters are Gianna Pendleton, 25 and Missy Pendleton, 21. Micah and his father Ken Sawyer have been partners in their construction business, Sawyer Construction, here in Sebastopol for 32 years. Michelle joined the business in 2014 as the Accounting and Business Manager.
Micah has been a big supporter of the sports programs in Sebastopol and was a member of the committee that helped raise funding for the new field at Analy High School. Michelle was a founding member of the Sebastopol Ag Boosters that supports the Sebastopol FFA and has remained an active board member well after her kids graduated. This past year she was presented with the Honorary Chapter FFA Degree which is given out to a select few who have rendered outstanding service. Michelle continues to lead the Gold Ridge 4-H club and serves as a project leader. Micah and Michelle are huge supporters of the Junior Livestock auction at the Sonoma County Fair and help purchase animals. Each year you will find them at the annual 4-H Chicken-que event volunteering. A few years ago, Missy suffered a life-threatening injury, the community came in groves to help the family out with expenses and set up fundraisers. As a way to give back, the family makes sure to help out any way they can. Michelle didn’t think twice when Carson Pforsich, Missy’s classmate, was injured. The family assisted with getting donations and helped with the silent auction.
Micah lost his 22-year-old son (Micah Jr) June 21, 2019, to a Fentanyl overdose and prior to his passing, for a time he was homeless. Micah and Michelle have made helping the homeless a priority. They purchase and distribute warm clothing items and food to homeless encampments during the cold, wet months.
City of Sebastopol
Locals Who Make a Difference
Micah & Michelle Sawyer
Points of Light Honoree Micah Sawyer
