The opioid epidemic is one that has claimed countless lives, including many in the Capital Region. Some who have had that tragedy hit close to home say finding a solution is a challenge. 

Bob Dean lost a brother and a sister to addiction in less than two years. Now he's advocating for change. Dean says education and treatment resources are the top priority to battle the drug crisis. 

He says he agrees with President Donald Trump's push for secure borders and enforcing stricter penalties on dealers. 

"They are murderers for selling a drug that contains a chemical when you inject into your system, it's like Russian Roulette. That hit could be the last hit. For both siblings, it was," said Dean.

Dean said he didn't support Trump's most controversial proposal to bring the death penalty to dealers, since he says many dealers are addicts themselves.