Family marches to home where son overdosed to pray

It's a story in Western New York that is well known. For Dean Bentley, it's a story that ended on a dead end street in the City of Tonawanda.
 
“Always waiting for a phone call and I didn't want that to come, but I always had it in the back of my mind that it was going to happen. And it came. That day came,” said David Bentley.

Dean Bentley overdosed on heroin, last week. On Monday, his family and friends remembered the young husband and father of two.

“He had a heart of gold,” said his sister-in-law in, Sarah Bentley.

Those who knew him well marched the two blocks from his father's house to the home where Dean lost his life to addiction. The crowd didn't come to cause a scene or curse the people who gave Dean a safe haven to take drugs. They came to pray. Pray for the people who live here.

“They're no different than anybody else and that's why we're here,” said David. “I don't want to see someone else's kid go through this. I don't want to see someone else parent’s have to go through this.”

Dean's father says his son struggled with addiction for years. Even while fighting his own battle he would try to steer others away from heroin.

Now, his father promises to do whatever he can to help anyone battling addiction. Even if it means going to the doorstep of where his son died.

“My son had a heroin problem and it killed him. I'm going to do anything I can to save people. And that's what my son, Dean, wanted to do,” added David.

ERIE COUNTY ADDICTION HOTLINE: 716-831-7007