President Donald Trump held a summit on the opioid crisis at the White House Thursday.
The attendees at the event included parents who have lost family members and children in the epidemic, high-ranking administration officials and health professionals.
In one particularly emotional moment, Trump asked a father who lost his son to drugs to stand up and say a few words. The man is a developer from New York City named Steve and he had known Trump for years. In 2011, when his son died, he described how Trump was personally supportive of him.
Steve told the room:
I remember the hug you gave me when I felt always lost. I lost my son in 2011…
He was a great kid. He detoxed the first night with me. He was my special child. If I lost him — I always felt hopeless before you were elected. I have never lobbied my friend about anything. I just supported you. I so believe in you. If my son knew that you were going to take up this battle, oh, my gosh, he must be upstairs applauding every day. I’m so grateful.
Trump went on to say that his administration would be rolling out a policy in the future weeks that will be “very, very strong” against the opioid companies and suggested bringing lawsuit against those corporations.
WATCH: