COLUMBUS — A father of an Ohio State University student is speaking out about the overdose death of his 21-year daughter, according to our news partner WBNS in Columbus.
>>OSU students who died in reported overdose identified
“She’s 21 years old, how can she go into cardiac arrest? That’s impossible,” Rich Iller said of his reaction to the late-night phone call he received in May concerning his daughter Tiffany.
He thought it was a prank but once he understood the call from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center was real, he drove in a rental car from Chicago to Columbus to be by his daughter’s side, WBNS said.
Tiffany Illner and two other OSU students were hospitalized for an apparent accidental overdose on May 4. Tiffany died later that day at the hospital, according to WBNS.
Jessica Lopez, 22, also died of fentanyl intoxication while the third student was treated and released from the hospital.
“She took her last breath and that was it,” Richard told WBNS, fighting back tears. “I never thought I’d see my daughter take her last breath. I thought she’d bury me.”
>>Coroner: 2 Ohio State students died of accidental fentanyl overdoses
The Montgomery County Coroner’s report said on June 28 that Tiffany died as a result of fentanyl intoxication.
Columbus police confirmed investigators removed a powdery substance from the house near campus the students were at on the night of the incident.
“She had everything in the world going for her,” Rich Iller said. “She loved life and people loved to be around her. It’s hard... when you see somebody that wanted all the things that she had in front of her and to see it wipe out.”
©2022 Cox Media Group
