honoring BRADLEY RCC graduate turns tragedy into positive change for community

By Amber Luffman

I graduated from the Randolph Community College Advertising and Graphic Design Program in 2015 and was a Presidential Scholar. By 2018, I had encountered significant mental and emotional health struggles as a young adult. I was working part-time for a short while as an adjunct instructor for first-year graphic design students at the College. Around that time, my marriage to my new husband, Bradley, took a dangerous turn as he fell back into a previously held addiction to substances — and domestic violence ensued in our household.

My young daughter, Ava, and I experienced much heartache and trauma loving Bradley while he was addicted. Over the next few years, we picked up the broken pieces of their lives to the best of our ability between Bradley’s eight different check-ins to various drug treatment programs in North Carolina. Ava and I were never approached by (or informed of) an organization offering support or advocacy for family members, and experienced anger at this fact every time Bradley left home (and a trail of addiction-related destruction behind) again.

I was very fortunate to work on my own recovery plan with the help of my Higher Power over the last several years as well as the Al-Anon community, counselors, and therapists, and church family and friends. But it was a very difficult road to walk largely alone.

Bradley passed away from his 13th overdose on May 1, 2021, and I knew immediately something positive would come from the struggle our family faced. I fully intended to fight against the effects of addiction in Randolph County and its surrounding areas. In my grief, I was reminded of the gap family members of addicted loved ones fall into — never receiving the much-needed attention for the related trauma, financial devastation, mental health issues, or spiritual obstacles loving someone addicted brings family members.

During my time as a student at RCC, I completed the Student Leadership Academy in 2014 — a September to March program with nearly monthly sessions on various leadership topics — along with 10 other students. Using knowledge gained through this leadership program, I took the initiative to legally organize Established Family Recovery Ministries, a 501c3 that directly mentors and supports family members of a loved one battling an addiction to drugs or alcohol or grieving the tragic loss of one. My efforts paid off on Nov. 19, 2021, when my non-profit became legal — just six months after Bradley died. My advertising and graphic design skillset came in handy, as I now lead, brand, and advertise Established Family Recovery Ministries as Founder and President. I also currently work full-time in my field as a marketing professional in Winston Salem and single-parent Ava.

On September 10, 2022, my non-profit held its first community event, The EST. 5K Recovery Run & Community Event. Hosted by Creekside Park (also home of RCC’s secondary campus location) in Archdale, the event brought 70 walkers and runners, table setups for recovery resources for family members such as family crisis support or free grief counseling resources, as well as speakers including former RCC President, Dr. Robert Shackleford Jr. The event shared a common goal as RCC’s annual Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Symposium does each April — educating attendees with facts and misconceptions surrounding substance abuse, tools and resources for helping others who are faced with it and bringing together a community hard hit by the opioid epidemic. According to data, Randolph County has one of the highest rates of opioid overdoses per 100,000 residents.

Almost two years after the death of my beloved husband, I still fight to bring awareness and positive change in the local community through public speaking engagements, social media influence, and continue efforts within Established Family Recovery Ministries. In 2023, the organization earned $13,000 to cover expenses for client services and the community event, as well as offered family member advocacy in the form of financial assistance, counseling or therapy referrals, free meals, cleaning services, service projects, home-visits, mentorship, and more to the local community.

To learn more about client services, volunteer opportunities, or partnering with this essential organization, visit ESTfamilyrecovery.org.