Josiah Citrin, the Michelin-starred force behind Mélisse and Citrin in Santa Monica, lost his 23-year-old son Augie to an opioid overdose in December. Citrin is speaking out about the tragedy to hopefully prevent other parents from experiencing the same kind of heartbreak.
“You don't worry about a Vicodin or a Xanax. Obviously, we worry about our kids being addicted to it and having a problem, you know, substance abuse. But I don't think it was ever like oh, it can actually kill you,” Citrin says. “We need to talk to our kids about this. And really let them know how dangerous that is out there. And don't think it's not gonna happen to my kid.”