Donna Andelora became one of the leaders in her community in the battle against opioid addiction after her son died of an overdose in 2012.

Tuesday, the Wayne resident will take her message to the national stage when she attends President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address as the guest of her congresswoman, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat representing the 11th District.

"I was invited to be part of a round-table discussion during her campaign, and shared my story," said Andelora, founder of Lost Angels Bereavement Group in Pompton Lakes. "I guess something must have resonated with her, because two weeks ago, her office called and asked me to be her guest in Washington."

Sherrill identified fighting the opioid epidemic as one of her top priorities in 2019 during her first district town hall last month in Parsippany.

"You often invite somebody as a congressperson to the State of the Union to highlight an issue of grave national importance," Sherrill said. "Donna has graciously and bravely shares her story, which highlights the issue and the concerns we have in our community."

Andelora founded the Lost Angels Bereavement Group in December 2012, a few months after her son, Joey, 22, died from a heroin overdose.

"I believe Mikie really wants to make a difference in this opioid epidemic," Andelora said. "People listen when they hear someone speak such as myself, who has buried a child."

Starting with three, the group has grown to about 40 members who meet the first and third Thursdays of every month in the Carnevale Center of St. Mary's Church in Pompton Lakes. "And there's new faces every time we have a meeting," she said.

Andelora was told her Tuesday itinerary would include some interviews in the afternoon, followed by receptions before the State of the Union address. She will sit in the House gallery during Trump's speech.

"I hope to nationally have our leaders look at opioid addiction like the disease that it is, and have it recognized just as any other disease," Andelora said. "Not only addiction, but mental illness also, because they go together, and there's such a stigma attached to them."

During an interview last January, Andelora said her son's curiosity may have been his downfall. She thinks that's why he experimented with pain pills at a "pill party" as a high school sophomore.

Painkillers for years were quickly prescribed to anyone and everyone, she said last January.

"If you went and had your wisdom teeth out, or somebody sprained their ankle ... You went to the emergency room and there was that chart on the wall that was, 'zero to 10: what's your pain level?' and if you said anything more than zero, the doctors got happy with that pad," Andelora said a year ago.

Andelora said some, like her son, became addicted to opiates after trying them just once or twice because they are so addictive. From there, it's a downward spiral and there's not going to be a good ending to it, she said.

For more information about the Lost Angels Bereavement Group, call Andelora at 973-713-9962 or email dandelora@yahoo.com.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@Dailyrecord.com.