Tampa woman warns of fentanyl dangers after losing husband and stepson in less than a year
TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa woman is sharing her story after losing her husband and stepson to fentanyl overdoses less than a year apart.
On National Overdose Awareness Day, Lisa Burke hopes that her family's story will help shed light on the realities of substance addiction.
Hillsborough County overdose reduction
What we know:
According to the State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County, there have been 77 fentanyl overdose deaths in the first half of this year.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez says fentanyl overdose deaths were down 49% in Hillsborough County in the first six months of 2025. Statewide, she says fentanyl overdose deaths were down 46% during the same time period.
Despite the decline, families in the Tampa Bay region still feel the devastating toll of substance abuse.
A husband's struggle
The backstory:
Lisa Burke lost her husband, John Burke, 51, to a fentanyl overdose in April 2020. Less than a year later, her stepson, Brandon Burke, 30, died of the same overdose.
Burke says her husband, John, always prioritized his health, so she never expected him to deal with substance addiction.
Courtesy: Lisa Burke
"My husband was also a high school athlete," she said. "He had a full ride to Delta State on a football scholarship. He was a personal trainer. He ran U.S. Masters track and field. He was ranked nationally."
His addiction began after he received a pain medication prescription following back surgery.
Her stepson's struggle
Dig deeper:
Burke says her stepson, Brandon, was also successful in high school and had a bright future.
"Brandon was a high school athlete, he played baseball, he was the Homecoming king," she said.
Courtesy: Lisa Burke
Burke says their family suffered several tragic losses when Brandon was in college, which ultimately helped fuel his addiction.
However, she says she faced these struggles head on. The word 'addiction' wasn't something she shied away from.
"We talked often about the fact that they were risking their lives, that their drugs could be laced with fentanyl," Burke said.
Fentanyl danger in Florida
What they're saying:
"It stole my family," Burke said. "And people say that they have to take accountability. Someone who is suffering with addiction has to take accountability, and they did, right? They did with their lives."
State prosecutors say substance abuse impacts families across all demographics, socioeconomic statuses and races.
"People often ask me, what's the scariest thing that you, as the state attorney, face?" Lopez said. "And fentanyl is certainly in the top two or three of that list."
Murder charges for dealers
What's next:
Burke says John and Brandon's deaths were investigated, although nobody was held criminally responsible at the time.
Courtesy: Lisa Burke
In recent years, changes to state law now allow prosecutors to charge drug dealers with murder if they supply a deadly dose.
The Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office says it successfully prosecuted a case involving a defendant who sold a victim a deadly dose, and they are now serving a life sentence.
In recent months, there have been at least two similar cases in Hillsborough County involving suspects who sold fentanyl-laced drugs to victims who overdosed.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from interviews conducted with Lisa Burke, who shared the story of her family's struggle with addiction, and the Hillsborough County State Attorney, who shared statewide data on fentanyl overdose deaths.