‘I had to keep going’: Grandparents often raise children when opioids claim their parents

For Vickie Glatfelter, a challenge and an inspiration

• Keira McGuire
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  Keira McGuire is a health reporter and multimedia producer for WITF. She hosts and produces Transforming Health television programs as well as other shows and documentaries for WITF’s Original Productions. McGuire produced the Emmy Award winning series HealthSmart for the last ten years. Keira previously worked at WBFF in Baltimore and WMDT in Salisbury as a reporter and anchor. She’s a graduate of Towson University.

More than 115 people are dying in the United States every day from an opioid overdose.

Vickie Glatfelter lost her son Bob to an overdose in 2014. She is now raising Bob’s son Keylin, which means he is among the 2.9 million children being raised by grandparents today.

Keylin is an affectionate 11-year-old boy who loves action figures and his iPad. He has been diagnosed with autism. Glatfelter works to keep her son’s memory alive for her grandson. Although she credits Keylin for giving her a reason to move forward every day, she also worries about the future.