UPDATE: Springs teen who overdosed on Molly has died
UPDATE: A Colorado Springs teenager who spent the last week clinging to life after overdosing on the drug Molly has died.
Her mother wrote on Facebook that Megan Pacheco passed away peacefully on Thursday.
Megan Pacheco was 17 years old.
“It’s going to be hard without her here. I’m so lucky just to have met her and gotten to know her,” said Pacheco’s friend Syndi Stevenson.
“I’m just fearing what it’s going to be like without her and knowing she is not there when I need her to be,” said Pacheco’s friend Shelby Harold.
Stevenson, Harold and Pacheco became best friends with Sand Creek High School’s cheer team.
“Now it just kind of feels like part of me is gone,” said Stevenson.
The teens hope Pacheco’s story will save other teens’ lives who are considering experimenting with the popular party drug.
“You can’t think you’re invincible and it can hurt you too,” said Harold.
“I think people will be more careful,” said Stevenson. “Hopefully they will take that extra step to find out what you are taking.”
Pacheco just graduated from high school and had plans to attend college in the fall. Her friends said she was an aspiring actor with a bright future. Stevenson and Harold said it’s difficult to come to grips with the fact that Pacheco can no longer follow her dreams.
“I just keep feeling like I am going to get some awesome text from her like, ‘Hey, whats up? I’m all good now.’ But it’s not going to happen. I just don’t know how to accept that and why something like this can happen to someone so great,” said Stevenson.
Sand Creek High School will have counselors available at the school Friday to help students with their grief.
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Friends hosted a vigil Wednesday night for a Colorado Springs teen in critical but stable condition after taking the drug “Molly.”
Megan Pacheco took the drug and overdosed almost two weeks ago. She’s in kidney and liver failure.
Her classmates and friends gathered at Sand Creek High School to pray for the teen and share stories. A pastor lead the group in prayer while they held candles tied with red ribbon, the same color on Pacheco’s cheer uniform.
A friend’s parent said Pacheco moved her mouth and jaw Wednesday evening. She said it’s the first time Pacheco has showed any sort of response since the incident.
Parents and friends hope Pacheco’s story serves as a warning message for teens considering using the drug.
“You just have to be really careful about what you’re doing, what you’re taking, who you are around it really the big thing here and looking out for other friends,” said Pacheco’s friend Sydni Stevenson.
Dr. Ian Tullberg said he sees patients in his urgent care clinical almost daily who suffer from drug overdoses. He said Molly used to be a drug used at raves and dance parties but it’s now circulating in groups of all ages, including teens.
He said it can lead increased blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature. It can cause organ failure like in Pacheco’s case.
“One person could take one pill and overdose on Molly while someone could take several and be OK,” said Pacheco.
Pacheco’s friends hope time and prayers will bring healing.
“We don’t doubt that she is going to be fine but it’s going to be a bigger struggle than I thought,” said Pacheco’s friend Shelby Harold.
“She’ll be back, she is coming soon, we just have to be patient, that’s all it takes,” said Stevenson.
Friends also filled out cards at the vigil that will be delivered to Pacheco’s hospital room.
