We Are UGI: Recognizing Overdose Awareness Day

Our employees at UGI are more than their job. Many of them have exciting hobbies and interests outside of work, and we are pleased to share more about the great work they do in their communities to make the world a better place.

August 31 is recognized as International Overdose Awareness Day, which is a global event to remember those gone too soon from overdoses and commit to preventing these deaths. For UGI employee Michele Bainbridge, this day hits closer to home.

Tyler Bainbridge, Michele’s son, was spirited, hilarious, and always smiling. But for years, he struggled in silence with serious mental health issues. He turned to drugs as a means of self-medication for the darkness he was living in, and went onto battle addiction for 6 years of his life. On January 19, 2018, at 24 years old, Tyler lost his life to an overdose. It is now the family’s mission to help others recover and prevent these tragedies from occurring.

Tyler’s Triumph

Founded in 2021 by Michele’s family – with daughter Alysa as President, Michele serving as Vice President, and other family and friends on the Board – the nonprofit Tyler’s Triumph provides potentially life-saving mental health intervention education, equipping people with the tools and resources to get the holistic help they need before it’s too late. The “More Than” Program is original programming that provides that education, as well as starts important conversations about stigma and self-worth that can change peoples’ stories.

“In his life, Tyler said out-loud on a few occasions he felt he was no more than an addict and wasn’t worthy of recovery,” said Michele. “We knew more people like him had to feel that way, so The More Than Program was born to make sure everyone had someone reminding them that they are worthy, loved, and so much more than their struggle or diagnosis.”

The program is a one-hour presentation that thoroughly teaches you how to take care of your mental health, recognize warning signs, and get early intervention. Most importantly, it promotes an important conversation about standing up to stigma, and it empowers and encourages people to know and remember their inherent worth.

Sharing Messages of Hope for Recovery

Though the nonprofit is born from tragedy, the mission remains to provide hope for recovery. During their launch party on what would have been Tyler’s 30th birthday last year, the Tyler’s Triumph team provided attendees with overdose response training and were sent home with Naloxone.

March 6 is also known as Black Balloon Day, which is a day to memorialize lives lost to overdose death and raise awareness about the opioid crisis by placing a black balloon outside homes or businesses. This year on March 6, Michele spread her message with employees at UGI’s Denver office and handed out black balloons for employees to display at their desks.

“I will never forget my first Black Balloon Day after my son died,” said Michele. “I had posted on social media about it, and asked that my friends hang a black balloon in memory of Tyler.  When I arrived at UGI that day, I found that every cubicle in Customer Care had a black balloon hanging to commemorate Tyler.  Not only were they hanging in Reading, they also participated in Wilkes Barre.  This show of solidarity and support still stays with me today.  My UGI co-workers repeatedly come through for me and I am grateful to work for a company where they consider employees family.”

The next big event for the organization is a “Puppy Pageant.”  This will be similar to standard beauty pageants, except the participants will be dogs competing in categories like most talented, best dressed, prettiest, etc. The family is aiming to hold this event in the fall.

UGI is proud of Michele and her family and their advocacy to help others recover and prevent these tragedies from occurring. Learn more about Tyler’s Triumph here.