Hannah Pedigo, a 22-year-old senior at LSU who is set to graduate in December, stood before families, public officials, community leaders and reporters gathered in Baton Rouge on Thursday.

She wasn’t there to celebrate her title as Miss Baton Rouge 2025. She was there to talk about losing her father to a fentanyl overdose.

“I can see clearly that everything I do is shaped by the lessons of my father’s life and his loss,” she said.

She described her dad as “hardworking, empathetic and kind.”

“He ran his own business, lit up every room, and never met a stranger,” Pedigo said. “However he also struggled with addiction for my entire life.”

“Let’s never forget that behind every statistic is a child, a parent, a loved one,” she said.

The soon-to-be college graduate was one of several peopl

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