Conversations with Rich Bennett Remembering Jovanni: Mandolyne Eleazar’s Story of Love & Loss
On Overdose Awareness Day, Rich Bennett and co-host Wendy Beck sit down with Mandolyne Eleazar for a courageous conversation about the life and loss of her 18-year-old son, Jovanni, to fentanyl toxicity. Mandolyne shares what helped, what didn’t, and why harm reduction, family therapy, and speaking our loved ones’ names matter. It’s a raw, hopeful listen for anyone navigating grief, stigma, or the realities of teen addiction.
Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction
Guest Bio:
Mandolyne Eleazar is a mother, creative, and advocate for overdose awareness and harm reduction. After losing her son Jovanni in November 2024, she’s committed to honest, stigma-free conversations about addiction, mental health, Narcan access, and compassionate support for families. She continues Jovanni’s legacy by carefully releasing his recorded music so others feel less alone.
Main Topics:
· Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction
· Jovanni’s story: early experimentation, grief triggers, and the pull of opioids
· Teen treatment barriers and breakthroughs (state programs vs. residential care)
· Family therapy: rebuilding trust and communication at home
· Stigma, complicated grief, and finding a supportive community
· Harm reduction: making Narcan training and carrying normal for teens
· Supporting siblings who grieve differently
· Preserving legacy through art: Jovanni’s sketches and music releases
· Understanding autopsy results and fentanyl lethality
· The power of remembrance: “say his name”—Jovanni
Resources mentioned:
· Donate to Rage Against Addiction
· Narcan / naloxone training & access (carry it, teach it, normalize it)
· Newport Academy (CT teen residential treatment referenced)
· Artist pages for LOSTMULTO (Jovanni) and his EP “The Big Bang Theory” o
https://harfordcountyhealth.com
Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their famili
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