A Buffalo pastor is on a mission to tackle the opioid epidemic.
"Benny could very well be looking down on us and saying thank you, and that's something that means so much to me,” said Al Robinson of his friend, Benjamin Ferrara, who died of a heroin overdose in 2017.
Robinson, the CEO of the Rebecca Rose Recovery Centers of WNY and pastor of the Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry, remembers that day and how he felt.
"I came to the back and I said 'what's going on?' and they pulled him out in a body bag, and I was irreparably damaged as a result of that,” Robinson said.
The pain forced him to not let Ferrara’s death be in vain. He bought the house in Lovejoy where Ferrara overdosed and decided to turn it into a sober living house.
It took more than two years to complete the transformation. On Sunday, he had a soft opening for the house.
"What we are trying to do is we're trying to build a house that is a partner with someone battling addiction,” he said.
The house will be home to up to seven women from ages 21 to 39. It features a state-of-the-art kitchen, a sauna, 6K lights that mimic sunlight, colored walls aimed to stimulate the retina, and even a house audio system airing sounds that spark relaxation.
"If we can create an environment that will make them not focus on depression, then we can start in the rebuilding of the woman who she was always meant to be,” Robinson said.
Bobby Krahling Jr. used to abuse drugs and has stayed away from them since 2015. He appreciates the house’s holistic approach to recovery.
"The things that they're doing, the technology in here, you got to hit it from every single aspect. It's not just one thing; you got to change everything,” Krahling said.
When Crystal Huss battled addiction, she took to painting to cope during her recovery. One of her paintings sits on the second floor of the house. It serves as a reminder to the women who will be in the home that they can battle through their obstacles.
"There's somewhere to go now; there's somewhere to be; there's a purpose for you; you're worth it,” Huss said.
As the house is set to welcome its first guests, Robinson hopes to never forget the tragedy that ignited his flame.
"We want to prevent that from ever happening again, and it's ironic that a house that would be like that is now going to be a house that's going to be pulling people from addiction,” he said.
The house is located at 122 Davey Street in Buffalo. It will officially open on February 1. Anyone interested in learning more about the services provided there can call 716-867-9090 for more information.
