Toronto Blue Jays' Davis Schneider honours late brother with new partnership
Toronto Blue Jays player Davis Schneider has announced a new partnership that holds a deeply personal connection to him and his family.
The 27-year-old has become a fan favourite over the course of his Blue Jays tenure due to his bubbly personality and ability to deliver in clutch moments. Yet, he shared a more sombre side of his personal life on Wednesday after becoming a paid spokesperson for Emergent BioSolutions.
Emergent BioSolutions is a manufacturer of Narcan nasal spray, the name-brand of naloxone, which is a drug that helps reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
Schneider lost his older brother, Steven, to an overdose back in November 2020.
"Whether it was the patients he supported as a registered nurse or one of his many friends and loved ones, my older brother Steven brought a smile to everyone's face," said Schneider in a press release. "Steven always inspired me to be a good person. You might never know what someone else is going through, so it's important to be prepared.
"That's why I've partnered with Emergent to encourage every person, parent and family to be prepared to help save a life in an opioid emergency."
The partnership will add Schneider's story to the company's "Opioid Crisis Impact Map," which is an interactive tool that highlights real stories from people who have had their lives impacted by the ongoing opioid crisis.
Schneider's brother was working as a nurse at the time of his overdose, and the two were as close as can be. At the time of Steven's death, Davis was still working away deep in Toronto's minor league system, still far from achieving his big league dreams.
According to Schneider's father, Steve, the memory of Steven was something that helped keep Davis pushing to pursue his dreams.
"It has to be part of what motivates Davis," Steve said in a 2024 interview with the Toronto Sun. "It could have went one of two ways for him. He could have just believed the world was terrible, that he had lost his brother. But he turned it into a positive and said, 'I'm going to keep doing this, and he's going to be with me.'"
The hope is that Schneider can use his Blue Jays popularity to help spread awareness of life-saving drugs like Narcan and prevent others from suffering the same kind of loss.
According to a 2026 government study, a total of 5,724 people died from apparent opioid toxicity deaths between October 2024 and September 2025 in Canada. That worked out to an average of 16 deaths per day. There were an additional 4,787 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in that same span as well, working out to about 13 hospitalizations a day.
"As the opioid poisoning crisis continues to impact communities across Canada, we're focused on doing our part to break down stigma and improve access and awareness of Narcan Nasal Spray," said Paul Williams, the senior vice president of products business at Emergent.
"We're incredibly grateful to Davis for sharing Steven's story and helping to elevate this critical conversation and empower Canadians to be prepared to save a life."
Naloxone and Narcan nasal spray are available for people across Canada to pick up for free without a prescription at participating pharmacies.
Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images
