Ten years ago, Lemonada Media co-founder Stephanie Wittels Wachs lost her brother—her person—to an opioid addiction and overdose. Desperate for answers in the aftermath, she interviewed people in recovery, medical professionals, first responders, addiction specialists, harm-reduction advocates, researchers, and public policy experts pushing for reform. This deep dive, fundamentally reshaping her understanding of opioid use disorder, became an award-winning podcast called Last Day which debuted in September 2019. A vital resource for others fighting not to lose their person, Last Day has been adapted into a book that will be published by Simon & Schuster in August 2026.

Based on the groundbreaking podcast of the same name, Last Day weaves together a heartbreaking story of personal loss and an unflinching investigation of what could have stopped it. Alongside expert voices on opioid addiction, Stephanie Wittels Wachs asserts that overdose deaths are preventable, not inevitable, and issues a clarion call for change in an ongoing and overwhelming opioid crisis. Yet, at its core, Last Day is a powerful story of love that endures long after loss.