An Interview with the Quehl’s in VoyageOhio Magazine

Written By Kelli Tarantino

September 28, 2023
Tom and Stephanie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 


Our son Jack died from Fentanyl poisoning on September 21, 2021. He had just moved to Baltimore for job relocation a month and a half before. He and his friend Chris were given cocaine that was laced with Fentanyl, and they both died. A few months after the funeral, Stephanie came up with a plan to arm our nation’s youth and their parents about the dangers of fentanyl. That led to our starting the “DOITFORJACK” Jack Quehl Foundation in early 2022.Stephanie and Tom talk to local schools, athletic teams, parents, and communities on the dangers of Fentanyl. Fentanyl is the #1 killer of Americans ages 18-50. It is estimated that there is enough illegal Fentanyl in the US to kill every American 4 times over. Roughly 290 people die from Fentanyl poisoning every day. Stephanie and Tom have been guests on local news shows, podcasts, and congressmen’s roundtables. In addition to our mission, The Jack Quehl Foundation has also established numerous scholarships for individuals who want to study abroad as well as students who are passionate about reading (two of Jack’s favorite hobbies). The “Beyond the Boundaries” scholarship at Archbishop Moeller High School and the “Jack Quehl” Scholarship at St. Columban Grade School, where Jack went. Our goal is to set up a scholarship that is open to any school in the future. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never easy to talk about someone we loved with our whole heart, but it’s important to us to get the message out to everyone so no one else will lose “Their Jack”! The talks/presentations are exhausting but also cathartic. The feedback from students and parents has been overwhelmingly positive. There are days that we don’t want to continue, but you push on to save someone else’s child, friend, or parent. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?


Tom retired in April of 2023. Tom was in IT consulting for over 30 years. Stephanie retired from teaching in 2022. Stephanie taught literature and reading for over 20 years. Stephanie also teaches yoga. 

What sets us apart from others is focusing on education and recreational use vs. addiction and recovery. (Both important, but there are other foundations out there focusing on this. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
The Jack Quehl Foundation is comprised of the following: 

Stephanie and Tom Quehl (co-founders) 

David Germano (brother-in-law) In charge of marketing 

Kelli Tarantino (Friend) website design; marketing 

Angie Geier (Friend) Content manager; graphic designer 

Carol Rouillard (Friend) Manager Operations and Planning 

Jon Homer (Brother-in-law) Treasurer 

Jen Homer (Sister of Stephanie) Fundraising Coordinator 

Tracy Vonder Brink (Friend) Grant writing and article manager 

All of the people above work for free to help us get the message out. 

We could list dozens of other volunteers who have helped us, but the people listed above are the primary ones. 

Pricing:

  • DOITFORJACK Shirts $20

  • DOITFORJACK hats $25

  • DOITFORJACK HOODIES $40

  • DOITFORJACK laptop stickers Free

  • DOITFORJACK bracelets Free

Contact Info:

Read the full story here.

Kelli Tarantino
Previous

Ohio House Homeland Security Committee Meeting
Next

Clermont County Fentanyl Roundtable with Congressman Wenstrup