About Us

Out of the Ashes Organization is a family-based Non-Profit established in 2023. Knowing firsthand how Illicit Fentanyl can change lives, President and CEO Amber Royer has made it her goal to share her experience by trying to save as many lives as possible.

Amber was born in Riverside, California. Coming from a broken and abusive home Amber sought refuge outside of her own. As a teenager, she was quickly introduced to methamphetamine and spiraled into active use and addiction for many years. Being an active addict and living on and off the streets for many years, the loss of her father on November 1st, 1993 was a wake-up call and shock to Amber. She was in another state and was not there for the most important man in her life. November 11th, 1993 Amber decided to turn her life around. She stopped using and gave her life to God. She made a change and moved back to Hemet, where she married her husband in 1999 and raised her family in a small community working in Healthcare and served the public for over 25 years. Active in many organizations and entities throughout her lifetime, Amber continues to remain focused on faith, family, and community.

In December 2014 Amber first experienced a significant loss when her home flooded and was declared uninhabitable after a natural disaster in the town of San Jacinto. Six months later the passing of her childhood sweetheart and husband seemed like the end of the world, till she held her mother’s hand that November as she moved onto her Heavenly home.

August 2016 brought forth a whole new set of challenges when her 16yr old son was significantly injured in a BMX bike trauma. Richard spent 9 hours in emergency surgery to save his life and his right leg. Amber was told he would never walk again, facing an unimaginable ultimatum of taking her son’s life, or his leg. In the coming months, Richard would have to undergo 11 different surgeries. He went through excruciating pain and rehabilitation throughout the coming months and developed new conditions making ambulation extremely difficult for Richard. He was required to use assistance devices just to do simple daily activities. During this time, Richard was introduced to opioids for pain management. He was given powerful medication such as Dilaudid, Morphine, Fentanyl, Propofol, Vicodin, and Percocet. Most of these medications were given every 2 hours in rotation for an extended amount of time. Being 16 the risk of addiction was very high. Richard came home and we tried holistic medication and creams. However, Richard faced chronic pain now for the rest of his life. Not to mention his dreams of basketball scholarships, never walking again and in his terms, “never being a normal kid anymore”. Now 18 and after months of rehabilitation he can walk again but has developed a new condition requiring a new surgery once again. The doctors were forced to remove all the bones in his toes and place steel rods in his toes so his foot would stay flat. Amber had to fight to get her son into managed pain control due to his age. Anxiety and depression are now mixed with more opioids, the upbringing of his newborn child, additionally, the covid 19 pandemic. The world spirals into mass chaos and everything shuts down. Including Doctor’s offices. That includes mental health facilities and pain management. Richard in pain sought to self-medicate and was sold a fake Percocet. A counterfeit prescription pill, that was pressed with Fentanyl.

Richard died in the bathroom of his family home. Alone. Across the hall from his sleeping fiance and 3mth old daughter. Across the hall from his brother and to-be fiance. Down the hall from Amber, his mother. Richard and his brother Jordan are what’s termed Irish Twins. They are 11 months apart and, for one week out of the year, they share the same age. They did everything together growing up. Now Jordan has joined his mother in the battle against Illicit Fentanyl.

Together they started “Out of the Ashes Organization” to be a voice for Richard. To spread the word about the dangers of Fentanyl poisoning, opioid use in teenagers that suffered traumatic injuries, and addiction versus self-medicating in today’s society. To work with other groups and organizations to fight for Fentanyl Legislation and share in the battle against social media and our children. To help the community with the influx of Fentanyl-related deaths by passing out Naloxone and sharing resources and information for treatment centers. Helping families cope with the loss and be supportive in their times of need.

Please consider donating your time or your financial assistance so we may carry out our mission to the best of our abilities.