(GoRealNewsNow.com) – As drug overdose deaths in America continue to grow amid a record influx of deadly fentanyl through the Southern Border, a 27-year-old man has been saving lives among drug addicts in Philadelphia by delivering Narcan – leading news outlets to dub him a “real-life superhero.”
In one of America’s most severely drug-affected neighborhoods, 27-year-old Ryan Sager has become a guardian, earning the moniker “Narcan Batman” for his efforts.
For the past three years, Sager has dedicated his spare time to patrolling the streets of Kensington in Philadelphia, an area notorious for its widespread drug activity.
He conducts these patrols in a modest 1997 blue Subaru Forester, rather than a Batmobile, The New York Post writes in a report.
Sager’s self-assigned mission involves seeking out individuals who have overdosed and administering Narcan, a nasal spray that rapidly counteracts opioid effects.
“When you see someone [and] their chest isn’t rising, that’s an indicator for me. I’ll stop, I’ll yell at them,” he explains.
“If they don’t respond, I’ll get out and yell at them again. If they still don’t respond I’ll approach them and if I can see their chest is definitely not rising, that’s when I’m going to Narcan them. That person can be up and responsive before an ambulance arrives so those precious minutes of not breathing are really reduced and that can make all the difference,” the man elaborates.
Sager has reportedly saved at least four lives during his patrols, a small yet significant impact compared to Philadelphia’s 1,413 unintentional overdose deaths in 2022.
An observation on a Sunday morning revealed the grim reality of Kensington Avenue and “Needle Park,” where hundreds of drug users, in various states, openly used drugs.
Sager conducts thorough searches in known hotspots, though fortunately on this day, no one appeared to be in respiratory distress.
Sager’s interaction with a group of addicts under a bridge revealed a disheartening acceptance of their situation. When offered Narcan, a couple, Brittany and Brian Harrison, shared their grim reality.
“If I don’t inject her someone else will. And at least if it’s me I can help if she overdoses. Someone else might not do that,” Briand said.
They have both been revived with Narcan numerous times over the years.
Pennsylvania, where this crisis unfolds, has one of the highest overdose death rates in the United States, with a record-high 5,449 deaths in 2021.