Erin Rachwal and her husband, Rick, lost their 19 year old son, Logan, on Valentine’s Day, 2021, to a fake pill containing Fentanyl. They have one other son, Caden, who is 14 months younger. Erin was always a very hands on mom and her family always comes first. After losing Logan, her whole life turned upside-down. It was the most unexpected tragedy one could ever experience. It changed her, in many ways, but instilled a motivation to speak out about the #1 killer of Americans ages 18-45. Fentanyl is flooding our schools and communities, and Erin has a deep desire to educate other kids and families in the community so hopefully no one else has to go through the pain of losing their child this way.
About Love, Logan Foundation
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
I am a therapist providing mental health therapy. My volunteer work is being the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Love, Logan Foundation. The foundation was established in 2022 after attending a family summit at the DEA headquarters in Washington DC, after seeing how many other normal families are going through this loss.
I love to work out for my mental health, I have a wonderful supportive husband, Rick, who has also co-founded the foundation with me and is my partner in everything we do. Since starting the foundation we have appeared on Fox News in New York, on Anderson Cooper in New York, done over 50 TV interviews, partnered with Waukesha County for awareness projects, testified on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, and much more!
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
Hearing from kids and families that we are making an impact.
Q: What was the most difficult challenge in getting to where you are now or in your life?
It’s a daily battle getting through the constant shock of losing my son. He was just a kid, made a mistake, and now he cannot recover.
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
Knowing that we are saving others by education in our community.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
Working with UW Milwaukee, where Logan passed away, on an awareness video for all incoming Freshman, partnership with the Milwaukee Brewers, we just established a National Day honoring the left behind siblings of Fentanyl deaths.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing something similar to what you have done/are doing?
Don’t over-commit – this type of work has taken over our lives and we still feel behind on projects.
Love, Logan Foundation & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love? (Feel free to share as much as you’d like!)
I absolutely love that our Park and Rec Dept approved our memorial benches and awareness plaque just installed by the pier on Pewaukee beach. Logan grew up playing baseball. We have so many great memories watching him play at the park and up at the school.
Q: Who is an interesting person you’ve met here in our community, and how have they inspired you?
Eddie Bauman, now deceased, inspired me in so many ways and helped us through some of our struggling times with Logan when he started experimenting with substances.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
Park Avenue Pizza – they have been very supportive of our 2 fundraising events and we love their food!
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Warm, quaint, supportive.
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I used to weigh over 235 pounds and lost just over 100 pounds right after high school. I still battle daily with food issues in my head but it motivates me to keep it off.
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
I love the song Rescue, by Lauren Daigle. It reminds me that Logan was rescued by God on the day of love 2-14-2021.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My pain and turning it into advocacy.
Q: If you were a drink (can be a coffee drink, alcoholic, non-alcoholic, etc.), what would you be?
Vanilla Cappachino – warm and sweet.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
Logan – my son who passed along with my surviving son Caden – because we miss Logan so so much.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Getting to speak in Pewaukee Schools. Logan died 9 months after graduating from PHS and it is our wish that the school would have us back to give our impactful and powerful presentation.
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Hearing from supporters that we are making a difference in our community. Also, my cats, and our condo in Arizona.
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
Never say this won’t be me. I NEVER thought I would have a son die this way. It is happening all over our country to every class, race, etc.
Where to Find Love, Logan Foundation
Email: erinr@loveloganfoundation.org
Nice To Meet You:
I believe in positively impacting my clients and the community I live in, which is why I jumped at the chance to be an ambassador with “The Faces of Lake Country”. It’s a perfect blend of why I enjoy being a Realtor with Shorewest, Realtors, and everything I love about living in Lake Country.
I truly enjoy being a part of this community and helping others along the way. Prior to real estate, I was an Office Supervisor for the City of Waukesha Park & Recreation Department. During this time, I had the opportunity to work with many business owners and serve the general public. It was there that I realized that it really does take a village to make a community great and each and every one of us plays an important role.
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