SPRINGTOWN — On Feb. 24, the Parker County Commissioner’s Court proclaimed March 6, 2025, as Black Balloon Day in Parker County to bring awareness to deaths related to drug overdose.
Jessica Castro, founder of We ARE Our Brother’s Keeper, a drug overdose awareness group, was asked to speak about the proclamation and thanked the commissioner’s court and Judge Pat Deen.
“This is the fourth year we have done the Black Balloon Day in Parker County and it definitely has been noticed and people recognize it,” Castro said. “Its such an honor to have the ability to tell families that we see you, we care about you and we honor the ones you have lost. Thank y’all very much.” Black Balloon Day was started by Castro in 2020 as a way of acknowledging those who have lost loved ones to an overdose.
“Black Balloon Day is a special day that we can honor all the loved ones that sadly are no longer with us due to addiction,” Castro said. “We have had the honor of having this day proclaimed with Parker County and the City of Springtown since I believe 2020. The black balloons are hung throughout all of Parker County at businesses and at homes. Last year, we even had balloons shown to us all the way in Aledo.”
Castro highlighted the importance of having tough conversations around overdose and how this event helps these discussions take place.
“It definitely gets people talking, asking questions and relating to others that are feeling the same pain,” Castro said. “And that right there is exactly why Black Balloon Day is so important. No one is in this life alone and everyone matters.”
We ARE Our Brother’s Keeper was founded in 2019 after Castro lost her oldest son, Joseph, to drug overdose.
