An Alaska mother who has become a prominent advocate against the fentanyl crisis will attend the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., after being invited by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, officials confirmed.
Sandy Snodgrass, whose advocacy stems from the 2021 fentanyl overdose death of her son Bruce, will be present at the Capitol as President Donald Trump delivers his annual address to Congress on Tuesday. Snodgrass’ work has drawn national attention as she travels across the state and country promoting awareness and prevention efforts related to illicit fentanyl use.
“I thought if I were to ever get a call about my son, it would be that he had an accident in the woods,” Snodgrass said. “Instead, the call was that he was poisoned by fentanyl less than a mile from home.” Since Bruce’s death, she formed AK Fentanyl Response, an organization dedicated to educating communities about the dangers of fentanyl and advocating for legislation to combat overdose deaths.
During her advocacy, Snodgrass has presented in schools, testified before lawmakers in Juneau, and lobbied in Washington for stronger federal responses to the crisis. In December 2025, she met President Trump when he signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communications Reauthorization Act of 2025, which included “Bruce’s Law,” aimed at enhancing substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs.
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Snodgrass said she anticipates President Trump will address fentanyl’s impact during the State of the Union, where lawmakers and guests often highlight priority issues affecting American families. “My child is gone,” she said, “but we fight to save other people’s children.”
Her attendance underscores growing public and political focus on the fentanyl epidemic as lawmakers weigh policy and funding decisions to stem the rise in overdose fatalities nationwide.
