How Alexandra Capelouto's Memory Became A Focal Point In California's Prop 36

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Who was Alexandra Capelouto?

Matt Capelouto 0:00
Alex, she was very smart. She had an IQ that was off the chart. Keep in mind, she got into college on a full academic scholarship. She was very witty. She was so quick-witted. She would say everybody's special, not just her. So many people who turn to substances, I believe, are these deep empaths. She bore the weight of everybody else's problems on her shoulders. She cared about other people more than herself. It led to her self-medicating to deal with this pain. I want to say this about my daughter. The day before she died, I had this conversation with her mom. Mom, I don't know what it is going to be, but God spoke to me and said I was going to save lives. She said, I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'm going to save lives.
Matt Capelouto 0:36
I would be foolish to believe that my daughter was his only victim. And for any person,
Richard Taite 0:41
parent to think this cannot happen to their family to their kids they've simply forgotten what it's like to be a teenager it's not about me it's not about you it's about the lives that are going to be lost if we don't step up and do something now like you said we're out of time thank you for listening to the we're out of time podcast with richard tate if you haven't already please follow the podcast rate and review and if you're getting value out of we're out of time share it with someone else you know for fentanyl awareness day a special message from our new los angeles district attorney nathan hawkman
Nathan Hockman 1:10
In the drug world today, there is almost nothing as powerful and lethal as fentanyl. It's 50 times stronger than heroin, 100 times stronger than morphine, and two milligrams, which is two grains of rice, can kill you in two minutes. This is not a minor threat, but an existential threat to our community. In fact, it's the leading killer of people under 45 and six or seven unhoused people in Los Angeles County will die of a fentanyl overdose today and every day for the rest of this year. So we look at defense at all dealers, not as dealers, but as poisoners. And we will begin a massive enforcement effort to go after them. But we're going to couple that with a massive education effort to get out in the middle schools and the high schools to let the students and parents know about the perils that fentanyl presents. Working together in partnership with law enforcement, with nonprofits, with parents who've gone through this tragedy is the only way we can hope to solve it.
Richard Taite 2:12
Okay, today's Fentanyl Awareness Day. And what we're going to do for that is we're going to honor the families who have lost their loved ones to fentanyl. And the best way to do that is to introduce you to a gentleman by the name of Matt Capilouto. But I know him as Alexandra's dad. So... Welcome, Matt. How you doing, man? Thank you. Thank you for having me, Rich. Appreciate it.

What challenges did Alexandra face?

Richard Taite 2:42
It's a big deal, huh? It is a big deal. I mean, I'm not crazy about having a day. Yeah. Okay? That seems kind of lame and, you know, gratuitous. Wish there wasn't a need for it. Well, I mean, every day should be Fentanyl Awareness Day. Tell me about Alexandra and what made her so special.
Matt Capelouto 3:32
Wow. She was very witty. Her sense of humor was uncanny. She was so quick-witted. I couldn't argue with my daughter because she would always have better comebacks than me. But she was... When she was a teenager, and we saw signs early on with cutting herself, she was diagnosed with what's called major depressive disorder. And she had suffered from clinical depression. She had nothing to be depressed about. But she just, well, she bore the weight of everybody else's problems on her shoulders. And I listened to a podcast with you kind of explaining this, and it clicked with me. You guys are similar in this way. And so many people who turn to substances, I believe, are these deep empaths. And... It was tough because she cared about other people more than herself.
Matt Capelouto 4:36
And ultimately, it led to her self-medicating to deal with this pain. And, you know, some of the specifics to her case were that we found out once it was being investigated. She was seeking Percocet. What's Percocet? It's a painkiller, right? She took this by herself before going to bed two nights before Christmas in 2019. It's not like she was out partying.

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