Photo by Ron Burkett.
Restoration Springs opens this month as a program to bridge between rehabilitation and everyday life for men battling addiction.
More than 700 Alabamians die each year as a result of opioid addiction. Trussville residents Bill and Lisa Bright have experienced the pain of losing a child to addiction and are on a mission to honor their son and save lives through the Will Bright Foundation.
“If we can prevent one family from getting that call, then we’ve succeeded,” Bill Bright said.
Five years ago, Will died from a heroin overdose at age 25. He was one of five from his 2005 Hewitt-Trussville graduating class to die from drug addiction, according to his father.
“It’s rampant. It doesn’t know a zip code. It doesn’t know a profession. I don’t hardly know anyone now who isn’t affected one way or another,” Bill Bright said.
Will battled drug addiction since eighth grade, with multiple stints in rehab at Turning Point and The Foundry. A graduate of The Foundry’s 12-month program, he served meals and provided food assistance in the community. He and other men from The Foundry also traveled around, speaking about addiction and raising money to fund scholarships for rehab programs.
“Will had a deep passion about helping people who were down and out, because he understood that really clearly,” said Micah Andrews, CEO of The Foundry.
After leaving The Foundry, the Brights had a hard time finding a safe place for Will to stay away from his struggles. After his death, the Brights began asking themselves what could have been different.
His parents picked up where Will left off, raising financial support to pay for others’ recovery, but realized there was a need to break the cycle of being in and out of rehab and halfway houses. They began seeking property to develop transitional housing for men with addiction. Within the last year, a woman they did not know, Lillian Kirkley, donated three chalet-style cabins next to a pond on more than 125 acres of land in Fayette, AL.
The property, now known as Restoration Springs, is set to open later this month and will house six to eight men. Applicants will be referred to the Will Bright Foundation after completion of a Christian-based recovery program, beginning with Turning Point and The Foundry. Those selected after an interview will be trained in life skills and receive training for job skills.
Restoration Springs will also work with businesses in the Fayette area to secure jobs for the residents. After 30 days, they are expected to have a job and pay a weekly rent, attend church services, perform community service hours and help keep up the facility grounds. The goal is to continue to provide support as they slowly transition back into society after rehab.
Andrews called the Brights’ concept “one of the most cutting edge programs” in drug rehab. He said he sees the facility as similar to an ill patient leaving intensive care for a step-down unit before returning home.
While there are no models of transitional living in Alabama that match what Will Bright Foundation is providing, they do not see themselves as groundbreakers.
“We’re nothing but two parents who had a tragedy, and we’re trying to make the best of it,” Bill Bright said. “It’s humbling. Our goal is to make a difference in some of these guy’s lives and try to keep them here.”
Restoration Springs will only be available to men. While Lisa Bright said they are not opposed to one day working on a facility for women, they want to focus on their responsibility of developing the Fayette property.
To learn more about the Will Bright Foundation, or to make a donation, visit WillBrightFoundation.com.
