Dover Honors Efforts to Avoid Overdose Deaths

Community event promotes addiction awareness and support for everyone in need.

Michael Frank, founder and president of Milestone House, was recognized during the Dover ceremony by Mayor James P. Dodd and NJ Senator Anthony M. Bucco for the efforts of the sober-living community. (Photo/Karen Fucito)

By Mariana Simioni

The morning sun poured over Dover Town Hall, turning the purple ribbons tied to lamp posts into soft, fluttering whispers of remembrance. About fifty people held purple flags, representing a testament to the lives touched by addiction and the fragile hope for recovery. 

The event highlighted the work of Milestone House, a sober living facility that has been serving the community since 2022. Its mission is simple but urgent: to provide a safe space for recovery and a network of support for those struggling with addiction. 

Michael Frank, president of Milestone House, spoke to the crowd about the universality of addiction—and recovery.  “Addiction doesn’t discriminate,” he said, “but neither does recovery. Everyone deserves the right to get help.”

Dover Mayor James P. Dodd presented Frank with a proclamation recognizing the facility's impact. “I am sure that everyone here today knows someone who has struggled with addiction,” Dodd said. “I know that I do. Each story is a reminder. We are here to reaffirm our commitment to break the stigma. Today, we remind everyone to remember, honor, and act to fight addiction.”

Michael Cavallo, a Keyport resident and Milestone House alumnus, shared the powerful story of his recovery journey. (Photo/Karen Fucito)

For Michael Cavallo, a Milestone alumnus, those stories are deeply personal. His struggle began in Massachusetts. “I was headed to New Jersey with my parents at the airport,” he said. “I overdosed there in the airport bathroom. The EMT who saved me with Narcan was one of my best friends. It wasn't my first experience with Narcan, but this one made it possible to get to New Jersey and saved my life.”

Cavallo’s journey through recovery has been long and complicated. He first stayed at Milestone in 2017 and 2018, then faced a brief relapse in 2023. “The impact of COVID is long-lasting, and I realized that I was burying myself in work and not taking care of myself the way I should be. So I called [Director at Milestone] Nikoletta [Danicic]. Milestone welcomed me in and got me back on track. There are different journeys back. The first time, I had all my belongings in a garbage bag. The last time, I arrived in an SUV, with a mortgage, a wife, and suitcases. They reminded me to stay connected to my sobriety and my sober community.”

First responders at the event reflected on the persistent challenges of addiction in the community. Officer Michael Cordes, a public information officer with more than a decade on the force, said, “We do the best that we can with the training that we have. We’re not mental health professionals. If we have a traumatic call for service or an overdose, we can call the Mental Health Association. They’re specifically trained to help the victims, patients, or family after we leave.” He added, “Events like this are absolutely necessary. If people don’t understand or they don’t know what’s going on, they’re not going to have an appropriate opinion on it.”

Dominick Ruiz, a firefighter and EMT for nearly eight years, described the intensity of responding to overdoses. “Mainly, we respond to heroin overdoses. Sometimes we have to use Narcan-assisted ventilation to help with breathing. Sometimes it works, and sometimes you have to wait for paramedics to give IV Narcan. There are times when we do everything we can, and it doesn’t work.” Overdoses often come in waves, Ruiz explained, with some days requiring multiple responses when a dangerous batch circulates. He recalled one incident on Blackwell Street where a man overdosed, returned home, and left his girlfriend behind to overdose. “Lately it’s been good, thank God. Haven’t had one in a while. But it’s tough.”

Recovery is rarely linear. It’s built in small steps, in support networks, in the determination to keep showing up—and in that persistence, hope finds its footing.

FOR THOSE WHO NEED HELP: The New Jersey Addiction Helpline is available 24/7 at 844-732-2465 or ReachNJ.gov. The Milestone House, a sober living home at 60 N. Sussex St., which offers support in both English and Spanish, can be reached at 973-442-4600 or through TheMilestoneHouse.org.