Devin Joseph Norring was born on December 19, 2000. He had a passion for playing football, wrestling, BMX biking, skateboarding, and riding dirt bike at the lake, he never missed an opportunity to enjoy life. Everything Devin did, he gave 100%+ of himself. 

Devin attended Hastings High School and graduated with the class of 2019. Following his graduation, Devin began working at Factory Motor Parts in Eagan. He loved his job and appreciated the many conversations shared with his dad carpooling to work every day.

Devin was always adventurous and lived life to the fullest. He was a protector to his siblings and friends. He went out of his way to make everyone around him laugh. 

 Devin was a very talented writer in both music and poetry. He had goals of going to California the summer of 2020 to pursue his education in the music industry. Tragically, Devin never made it to California, and all of his hopes and dreams came to a tragic end on April 4th, 2020. 

In the months leading up to Devin's passing, he had been suffering from blackout migraines and dental pain and was under doctors care. With the COVID-19 lockdown going into place, the vital MRI for his migraines and the dental appointment to fix his cracked molar were cancelled with no clear instruction on what to do next. Unbeknownst to us, Devin and the person he considered a friend, went onto Snapchat and got what they believed was a Percocet from a well-known repeat local teen drug dealer. That Percocet was a fake. The pill contained 100% illicitly manufactured fentanyl. The young man Devin was with knew Devin needed medical attention after dumping water on him, checking his pulse, and his breathing. However, rather than calling 911 or getting Devin's parents, he locked Devin's bedroom door, told Devin's younger brother, Caden, that Devin was asleep, and left without saying a word. It would be Caden who would later find his big brother unresponsive after picking the lock on Devin's bedroom door the following day. 

It was too late for us to save Devin. Devin will be Forever 19 after being poisoned to death by fentanyl in what should've been the safest place in the world, his own bedroom. Word travels fast in our small town. Within minutes of Devin's death being shared with his friends, Snapchat began blowing up with Snaps pointing fingers at the two suspects selling fake pills in Hastings; two well-known, repeat drug dealers. 

We realized very quickly in the early days of Devin's passing how widespread of an issue fake pills were in our small town. What was shocking at the time for us was, these were teens selling these fake, poisonous pills to their fellow peers right in the open on Snapchat. We would later come to find out through social media, they knew the pills were bad, as they had "narcaned several people at a party" just days prior to Devin's death. They continued to sell them anyways. 

We cannot stress enough how important it is to have a conversation with your children, loved ones, and friends in regard to illicitly fentanyl and other deadly emerging illicit drugs like Xylazine or ISO. We ask that you erase that thought of "not my kid", "that will never happen to my kid", "my kid would never", as easily as it happened to our family, it could happen to yours. It is better to educate your children and loved ones before it is too late. We had open conversations with our children about every drug out there we knew of, except illicit fentanyl. No one was talking about fake pills; there were no alerts; there were no public safety announcements to make us as parents aware of this poison in our small city. We had no clue until it was too late. 

Educate yourself and others about the ease of access our children have to these fake pills and other illicit substances being on social media apps like Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and so many others is. Ask questions. Monitor your child's social media accounts. It is also important to make Narcan a part of your home's first aid kit. 

Lastly, we cannot stress the importance of calling 9-1-1 if you suspect your friend or loved one is overdosing. Do not run. Do not lock them in their rooms and leave. Do not dump them in a random place. Do not dump them out front of a hospital without notifying the staff inside. In Minnesota, and most states, Steve's Law, also known as The Good Samaritan Law, offers the person overdosing and the caller protection from prosecution for using if you call for help. 

The Devin J. Norring Foundation is committed to addressing substance misuse, with a focus on education and awareness. Our mission is to provide comprehensive information, support, and resources to individuals, families, and communities impacted by fentanyl and other dangerous substances. 

Through evidence-based education initiatives, advocacy efforts, and collaborative partnerships, we strive to prevent addiction, reduce harm, and promote recovery. By fostering a compassionate and nonjudgmental environment, we aim to empower individuals to make informed decisions, and lead healthier, substance-free lives. 

Our organization envisions a society where every person has the knowledge and tools to overcome substance misuse, and where communities are united in their commitment to prevention, education, support, and recovery. Only together can we create a future free from the devastating effects our families have had to endure.

Devin J. Norring Foundation is a registered 501(c)3