Perla: A Mom’s Story

Chris dives into Perla Mendoza’s harrowing account of her son’s fentanyl overdose and her crusade against the drug crisis. Perla’s tale illuminates the dangers of covert online drug markets and the devastating impact of addiction. Listeners will learn about Project Eli – an educational movement born from tragedy, aimed at preventing future losses. The episode covers the emotional journey from Perla’s aspirations for her son to her bittersweet pursuit of justice. This episode will stir a conversation on awareness and accountability amid a growing fentanyl epidemic.

1:51 – Perla shares a story about her son, Elijah, gifting a grieving friend with new shoes. 

9:37 – Son got caught with weed at a high school dance.

13:08 – Son’s improvement through therapy and medication. 

15:57 – Elijah stopped taking the medication and was showing improvement and happiness. 

21:32 – “Surprised to find my son’s hidden Xanax stash.”

26:26 – Elijah’s struggle with pills leads to a difficult time. 

36:10 – Confronted her son before his tragic, untimely death. 

40:22 – Detective finds son’s tragic Snapchat message about pills. 

42:22 – Deceitful sales of fake products and narcotics. 

48:54 – Parent sought DEA to help their addict son. 

57:13 – Concern over reckless behavior, sharing potentially incriminating content.

1:00:27 – Grieving mom builds a support network after tragic loss. 

1:03:36 – Unforeseen shift from public service to podcasting. 

1:09:13 – Debate over criminal justice and accountability.