COLUMBUS, Ohio — Richard Iler, the father of one of the Ohio State University students who died from overdosing on fentanyl, is sharing the pain his family is going through and wants the world to know the legacy his daughter left behind.
Tiffany Iler, 21, and her friend, 22-year-old Jessica Lopez, were taken to a hospital on May 4 after a woman called 911 saying their roommates were overdosing. Tiffany passed away the next day.
Rich said after his daughter's death, he threw himself back into work, traveling to and from Chicago, but he said when he comes back to his home outside of Cleveland, that's when it hits him that his daughter is gone.
“She was, the word people used, was vivacious and she really was. She was extremely outgoing,” Rich said.
Tiffany was a neuroscience student at Ohio State and dreamed of medical school. After her death, Rich was floored with the number of emails, cards and messages from Tiffany's professors.
"I'm amazed at all the emails I got from Ohio State professors. I mean, she was one of 50,000 students down there and yet, they took time out to send us information. The one professor said, 'She changed one of my finals and how I was going to interact with students,'" Rich said.
Processing Tiffany's death has been anything but easy for Rich. He went back to work to deal with the emotions, but when he gets home, everything hits him.
"I think at this point, I've just delayed dealing with the emotions of...my daughter's gone. So how am I feeling? It's all over the place," Rich said.
Rich remembers Tiffany as someone who was outgoing socially and in the classroom, making a difference to those around her. That's what makes losing Tiffany so painful.
"That's why it hurts, I think, so much is because she loved life. She absolutely loved life," Rich said.
The Montgomery County Coroner's Office released their report last month saying Tiffany died of fentanyl intoxication. Columbus police confirmed investigators removed a powdery substance from the house.
Columbus Public Health warned students of Adderall pills laced with fentanyl on campus soon after the overdoses. The coroner's report didn't find any other drugs in Tiffany's system.
Rich was unaware of any drug use by Tiffany. He said investigators told him they did not find any evidence that would indicate Tiffany was buying drugs.
"I didn't know there was a fentanyl problem. I didn't know it existed, frankly. That's not the world I lived, that's not the world she lived in," Rich said. "She wouldn't do anything like this. How can you get angry? I can't get angry at her because she had no interest in losing her life."
A life that still had so much to live for. A young woman who Rich said was a loving person and someone who was fun to be around.
"The smile...that smile would light up a room," Rich said.
Rich also wants people to know about how his daughter went out of her way to help others as well.
"From helping people get their GED to helping kids with disabilities learn how to swim, working for the American Red Cross," Rich said.
Tiffany is still helping people after her death. Rich said he has received several documents about how many people she has helped by being an organ donor.
The narcotics unit of the Columbus Division of Police said their investigation is closed. They did not provide details on whether there were any suspects in the case.
As for the university, Rich said the school has "significant accountability" in his daughter's death, however, they have not filed a lawsuit at this time.
An Ohio State spokesperson sent the following statement to 10TV:
"Tiffany Iler and Jessica Lopez’s tragic deaths were devastating, and our hearts break for them and their loved ones. Contaminated drugs are a serious public health concern in communities across the country, including on and around college campuses. Throughout our students’ time at Ohio State, we actively communicate a wide variety of education and prevention information, including information about contaminated drugs, Naloxone and fentanyl test strips. Communications include but are not limited to email, workshops, promotional materials and events in the residence halls and other spaces on campus, interactions with wellness coaches, and a host of other tactics. Naloxone and fentanyl test strips are both available free of charge at our Student Health Center. We will continue to identify ways to improve our health and safety programming and best reach all of our students."