Grieving mom puts face to opioid crisis, one portrait at a time

— -- A mother in New Hampshire is using a paintbrush to heal from her daughter’s drug-related death and to help others who are suffering.

Anne Marie Zanfagna’s daughter, Jacqueline, died in October 2014 of a heroin overdose. Returning to oil painting as a form of therapy, the mother and artist began creating a joyful portrait of Jacqueline.

“It just started as something from my heart, but then I realized you can influence people when you have pictures to go along with the numbers so they can see our lost children,” Zanfagna told ABC affiliate WMUR-TV.

Her influence materialized into Angels of Addiction, an organization she conceived to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic. Zanfagna, who also paints portraits for people dealing with similar grief, has created 88 works of art since her daughter’s death.

“These are all my children now. I know them all very well on a spiritual level as I turn them into a beautiful portrait.”

The smiling faces of people whose lives ended due to addiction are currently on display at the New Hampshire State Library in Concord throughout August.