NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — On International Overdose Awareness Day, a Middle Tennessee family is sharing the story of the son they lost to fentanyl — hoping their pain might help save someone else's child.
Quintenn Clark was just 20 years old when he died. Five years later, the grief is still with his family every day. But instead of suffering in silence, his father, AC Clark, is speaking out — determined to warn others about the deadly reality of fentanyl and keep another family from facing the same heartbreak.
"I couldn't save Quentin, but maybe sharing his story will help save somebody else, and that's the goal every day. If I can reach one person each day, then I feel like it's a win," AC Clark said.
For AC Clark, that is the mission.
Because five years ago, his son Quintenn was more than a name attached to a statistic. He was 20 years old. A son. A brother. A kid who loved sports, fishing, his family — and his animals.
"He always loved to joke and things like that, and I miss his laugh every day, and yeah, he was just — he was a light in a dark world," Clark said.
But behind that light was a struggle his family didn't fully understand until Quintenn's senior year of high school. He had become dependent on Xanax. His family got him into treatment.
But on March 2, 2021, Quintenn died from a fentanyl overdose.
And in the grief that followed, his parents found a reason to speak.
"It was at that point we looked at each other and was like, 'We've got — we've got to do something. If we don't talk about it, then nothing's ever going to change,'" Clark said.
So they started the Quintenn Clark Foundation — just months after his death. Today, it raises money for treatment, recovery programs and sober living. Because the family learned firsthand: getting help can be expensive. And addiction doesn't care who you are.
"It doesn't matter if you have money or what background you come from. It doesn't discriminate, and that's what's hard to convey to people these days because you still have that stigma," Clark said.
The Tennessee Department of Health recorded nearly 2,500 fatal drug overdoses in 2024 — down 31% from the year before. A hopeful number. But for families like the Clarks, every number still represents someone who was here. Someone loved. Someone missed.
"It's just continuously talking about it, and it's uncomfortable. It's an uncomfortable conversation. But if we don't have those conversations, then nothing's ever going to change, and we keep losing a whole generation to this poison," Clark said.
On International Overdose Awareness Day, the Clarks are remembering Quintenn by doing what they couldn't do five years ago — talking about it.
"If we don't talk about it, nothing will ever change," Clark said.
And hoping his story becomes someone else's second chance.
The Quintenn Clark Foundation's next major fundraiser is Recovery Quest, happening Sept. 12 at Riverbluff Park in Ashland City.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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