TAMPA, Fla. — According to the CDC, overdose deaths in Florida are down 20% from last year.
But for a local mom, even one is one too many. Her only son died from a fentanyl overdose, and now, as Tampa Bay 28 anchor Wendy Ryan found out, she’s on a mission to save others.
“Colt did his first tattoo at five and he got his first tattoo at five years old! When he was in kindergarten and they say, 'What do you wanna be when you grow up?' He wrote 'Tattooist,’” said Belle Amoroso.
Amoroso’s son Colt Baker grew up surrounded by tattoo artists.
“Colt is a second-generation tattooer. He grew up inside Las Vegas Tattoo Company in Las Vegas. I mean from the time he was a little boy; he was in the tattoo shop,” said Amoroso.
That early experience helped him become a tattoo professional at just 12 years old. Later he worked alongside his mom at their Las Vegas Tattoo Shop on 7th Avenue in Ybor City.
Amoroso recalls that Colt was never shy.
“Colt was very outgoing as a kid. When he skateboarded, he was the one who was going to jump the highest. You know, break the most decks. He was that kid, so he was very like outgoing and yeah,” explained Amoroso.
But behind that energy came anxiety. As a kid, Colt started smoking weed to help him cope. Then after a dental procedure, his drug use escalated.
“He got wisdom teeth taken out and they prescribed him Oxycodone. And nobody knew what the heck really. I didn't really know much about Oxy back then and that was how that started,” said Amoroso.
That’s when a battle with addiction began and never let go.
“You have to take care of yourself. They want that. They love you, even though you may think they don't. They're not trying to hurt you. You know, when someone's in an active addiction, they're not even showering and taking care of their own basic needs sometimes,” said Amoroso.
She said that was painful to watch, wanting to save her son but learning she couldn’t.
“You're always waiting for, as a mom of an addict, you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop, always. But you know that you can't control it, and you know, there's nothing that you can really do. It has to be up to the person,” said Amoroso.
Then Colt had a new reason to stay clean after he became a dad to a beautiful daughter named Bella.
“And when his daughter was born, did that change him?” asked Tampa Bay 28 anchor Wendy Ryan.
“It did, yeah. He got sober when his daughter was born, for his daughter,” explained Amoroso.
Colt cherished being a father, as Bella meant everything to him.
“He loved her more than anything in the world. I mean, he was a great dad,” said Amoroso
But addiction is relentless and in September of 2023, Colt relapsed again and entered another rehab center. Still, that 90-day sobriety did not last long.
“The police called and I was like so shocked because he was doing so well and I just didn't expect it,” explained Amoroso.
This final time fentanyl took his life. Colt was just 37 years old.
“He was my only son, so he really was my world. And he was also my best friend,” said Amoroso.
Now, Amoroso channels that grief into action.
“I worked with Hillsborough Recovery Coalition and Live Tampa Bay. And I was able to set up what we call a 'Bird Box.' And it's a permanent distribution. Anybody could walk in here and grab free Narcan,” explained Amoroso.
With this life-saving display seen through the window of her Ybor City shop, strangers come in wanting to talk about their loved ones who are also gone too soon. And Amoroso often shares what she’s learned from her own devastating loss.
“Your child doesn't want you to just quit. And they don't want you to just lay down and give up. They don't want you to commit suicide. You're loved and you're needed. And the most gift you could give yourself is to live,” said Amoroso.
Amoroso just marked one year of Legacy of Love, an online support group for parents who’ve lost a child. It meets the first Monday of every month.
She also volunteers with “NOPE” Narcotics Overdose Prevention Education. To learn more about their resources, you can click here.
Share Your Story with Wendy
Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Wendy Ryan is dedicated to helping our neighbors navigate the important topic of mental health. For years, she’s been connecting people to resources, listening to their challenges, and sharing their stories to decrease the stigma. You can connect with Wendy by using the form below.
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