AUSTIN — Two-and-a-half months after Denise Pulliam saw what she described as a “pimple” on her son’s arm he was dead.
The “pimple” was a needle mark in the crook in Sawyer Pulliam’s arm where he had been injecting heroin.
Sawyer Pulliam died in November 2012, at 22 years old, from a heroin overdose. He left behind two young children.
Unfortunately, there are many other stories like Sawyer Pulliam’s in Scott County — the epicenter of the worst HIV outbreak in Indiana history, tied to intravenous drug use.
A young man, who his mother described as a great father, great worker and who was also a former Army National Guard member, who just didn’t come home at night.
“It was hard to tell he had an addiction problem,” Denise said. Even after his family discovered that Sawyer was using heroin, they tried to get him into treatment and thought he would be OK.
Ever since their son passed away, Pulliam said she and her husband have tried to speak out to let people know about addiction.
Along with other friends and family, the Pulliams wore shirts and carried photos of Sawyer, intent to share his story.
Denise and her husband Todd Pulliam were among the hundreds who walked through the streets of Austin Saturday for the March of Hope and Day of Hope.
Denise said she wants to let people know that this happens in all walks of life.
“You think, ‘we’re a good family, this won’t happen to us; this can’t happen to us; we raised our son right.’ It can happen to anyone,” she said. “It happens to the best families, even in small towns.”
RALLYING A SMALL TOWN
A high rate of intravenous drug use has led to a high rate of HIV infections, more than 170 confirmed cases, according to health officials.
“When HIV became an epidemic, it just became really apparent that we needed to take action,” said Peggy Nunley, an event organizer.
Nunley’s husband, Joe Nunley, is a pastor at a local church, City on a Hill Church in Scottsburg.
Nunley explained that many of those already conducting outreach efforts in Austin and Scott County were churches.
Realizing the issue they were facing, the churches combined their efforts.
Leaders from a small group of churches were spurred on by a documentary, “An Appalachian Dawn.” It tells the story of a similarly rural town in Manchester, Ky., which saw a high rate of IV drug use. A group of Christians began organizing prayer walks to promote change in their town.
“After the prayer walks (started) things started to change in their city,” said Shannon Carroll, another event organizer. Carroll’s husband, David Carroll, is the pastor at Vienna Baptist Church in Scottsburg.
“They’re now called the city of hope,” Carroll said of Manchester, Ky.
A small group in Scott County started its own prayer walks in April.
WALKING FOR A CAUSE
The walks were organized by Together For Scott County: from Darkness to Deliverance, T4SC, which includes 34 area churches.
“It has brought unity to our community,” Carroll said. “It doesn’t matter whose church you’re from, we’re here for one common goal.”
The walks led to the culminating event Saturday with the March of Hope and Day of Hope.
“This is a day to show that we care about our community, we care about the people and we’re ready to do whatever it takes to see change happen,” Carroll said.
About 300 volunteers were on hand Saturday to share the gospel, provide access to medical attention and make sure those with addiction problems get connected with the appropriate treatment centers.
Nunley said she would like to eventually see a Christian-based addiction center in the community.
“Faith ... is the very foundation of all recovery that we think will have longevity,” she said. “It makes a difference. That’s our hope.”
Pulliam said it’s great that the community and its churches are all coming together to break the bonds of addiction.
“God will make the difference,” she said. “I just want people to know they’re not alone.”
“My son passed away from a drug overdose, but they don’t have to. They can have the kind of life they’ve dreamed of living.”