Rebuilding from the Ruins: A Montana Town Confronts Meth and Finds Hope in Renewal
Methamphetamine addiction has long devastated communities across the United States, but its impact is particularly acute in Native American communities like Lodge Grass, Montana. Here, amidst the rolling prairie and the shadow of the Little Bighorn River, a town is grappling with the fallout of a decades-long epidemic while simultaneously forging a path toward recovery, one building – and one life – at a time.
Brothers Lonny and Teyon Fritzler walked among the tall grass and cottonwood trees surrounding their boarded-up childhood home, daydreaming about ways to rebuild. The prairie holds memories for both men: Lonny learned from their grandfather how to break horses on this land, while Teyon learned from their grandmother how to harvest buffalo berries. It’s also where they witnessed their father succumb to meth addiction. Teyon, now 34, began using the drug at 15 with his father, and Lonny, 41, started after college, attributing it partly to the stress of caring for their grandfather, who suffered from dementia. Their own struggles with meth persisted for years, ultimately outlasting both their father and grandfather.
It took leaving Lodge Grass, a town of roughly 500 people on the Crow Indian Reservation, to begin their recovery. The brothers found refuge with an aunt in Oklahoma as they learned to live without meth. Their family property, however, remains a stark reminder of their past – the horse corral’s beams are broken, its roof caved in, the garage tilts precariously, and the house requires extensive repairs.
The physical decay of homes in Lodge Grass mirrors the broader struggle with addiction. Crumbling structures are a common sight in this Native American community, hammered by the effects of meth. Lonny explained that some homes are beyond repair, contributing to a housing shortage that often forces multiple generations to live under one roof, sometimes for cultural reasons, but increasingly out of necessity. “We have broken-down houses, a burnt one over here, a lot of houses that are not livable,” Lonny said, describing the surrounding neighborhood.
However, signs of renewal are emerging. In recent years, the town has demolished more than two dozen abandoned buildings. For the first time in decades, new businesses are appearing, symbolizing the community’s effort to overcome the grip of meth. A day care center, delivered in October 2024, replaced a former home that had tested positive for meth residue. “People were crying,” said Megkian Doyle, head of the Mountain Shadow Association, the Native-led nonprofit that opened the center. “It was the first time that you could see new and tangible things that pulled into town.”
The Mountain Shadow Association is also spearheading the construction of Kaala’s Village, a comprehensive campus dedicated to healing from addiction. The plan includes mental health resources, housing for children whose parents are undergoing treatment, and separate housing for families working toward sobriety. Locals frequently stop by the construction site to observe the progress. “There is a ground-level swell of hope that’s starting to come up around your ankles,” Doyle observed.
Two of the builders on this transformative project are Lonny and Teyon Fritzler. They view their work as an opportunity to rebuild their community within the Apsáalooke Nation, also known as the Crow Tribe. “When I got into construction work, I actually thought God was punishing me,” Lonny confessed. “But now, coming back, building these walls, I’m like, ‘Wow. This is ours now.'”
Despite these glimmers of hope, the challenge remains immense. Meth use is a long-standing public health epidemic throughout the U.S. and a significant contributor to the nation’s overdose crisis. The drug has been particularly devastating in Indian Country, where Native Americans face the highest rates of meth addiction compared to any other demographic group. “Meth has never left our communities,” stated A.C. Locklear, CEO of the National Indian Health Board.
Many reservations are located in rural areas, which experience higher rates of meth use than urban centers. Native Americans also face disproportionately high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and mental illness – all established risk factors for addiction. These conditions are deeply rooted in a history of systemic discrimination and colonization. Furthermore, the Indian Health Service, responsible for providing healthcare to Native Americans, has been chronically underfunded, with programs further reduced under the Trump administration.
However, LeeAnn Bruised Head, a recently retired public health advisor, emphasized the resilience of tribal nations, drawing strength from their traditions. She noted that the Crow people have preserved their language, prioritize strong family and community bonds, and rely on clan systems to mentor children. “The strength here, the support here,” Bruised Head, a member of the Crow Tribe, said, “You can’t get that anywhere else.”
In Lodge Grass, a local survey commissioned by the Mountain Shadow Association estimates that approximately 60% of residents age 14 and older struggle with drug or alcohol addiction. Quincy Dabney, the town’s mayor, spearheaded community cleanup days starting in 2017, initially focused on removing trash and eventually shifting to demolishing abandoned houses that had become hubs for drug activity. “There was nothing stopping it here,” Dabney recalled. While the problem persists – a multistate trafficking operation based on the Crow reservation was disrupted in 2024 – the community’s proactive approach is making a difference.
A spray-painted message, “Stop Meth,” remains visible on the crumbling walls of a building a few blocks from where Dabney spoke, a poignant reminder of the ongoing battle. Yet, signs of change are visible: a previously vacant field now cleared, another home undergoing repairs for a new mental health worker, and the steady progress of Kaala’s Village.
Kaala’s Village, named after the Crow word for “grandmother,” is expected to cost $5 million and will be built in phases as funding becomes available. The association hopes to open the therapeutic foster home by spring 2026, with family housing following the next year. The site is located just a short drive from Lonny and Teyon’s childhood home. In addition to their construction work, the brothers are receiving training to provide mental health support, with the goal of eventually working alongside those who come to Kaala’s Village for help.
As for their own home, they plan to restore it, “just piece by piece,” Lonny said. “We’ve got to do something. We’ve got these young ones watching.” The rebuilding of Lodge Grass is not just about structures; it’s about reclaiming a future for the next generation, brick by brick, life by life.
