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Home helps mothers get clean from heroin

Posted at 8:58 PM, Sep 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-24 20:58:40-04

Amber Gordon keeps busy with her newborn son Grayson.

"He's three months old," said Gordon.

She seems to be a normal mother, but her road to motherhood is unordinary.  Gordon was a heroin user until last year.

"I used a half a bag and died, my boyfriend brought me back by using CPR," said Gordon.

She's been sober since Grayson was born, because she's living at a new group home for recovering mothers called Prodigal Daughters in Sarasota.

Denis Gattuso formed the home in May. Gattuso said she's dealt with addiction in the past, so she felt it was her duty to open this home.

"The goal is to reunite the family and get them healthy," said Gattuso.

She currently has five women living in the home, but she has room for five more.

Sarasota County leaders believe the heroin epidemic is hitting hard now.  The amount of overdoses this year is up 105-percent.

Gattuso believes projects like Prodigal Daughters is a small way to help.

"The mission is to have the women healed of the addiction, also reunite them with their children," said Gattuso.

Click here to learn more about the project.