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The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, or OASAS, provides this podcast as a public service. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the agency or state.

A Mother’s Loss Becomes A Mission

Jerry Gretzinger 0:20

Welcome to Addiction: the Next Step. I'm your host, Jerry Gretzinger. It is a parent's worst nightmare, the loss of a child. In twenty sixteen, for Laurie Pinka, that nightmare became reality. When her 19-year-old son James died of an overdose. While dealing with that tragedy, she found a new calling to help others facing the same struggles as her son. A calling that at its core revolves around keeping people healthy.

Laurie Pinka 0:48

So we're gonna go 10 inchworms into a steel post. And a community of like-minded, healthy people. You partner up, you work out together, the last person finished, get the last appeared. I became a runner. And then I wanted to run another marathon, but I needed a second source of training. And I looked it up and I found prospect.

The Overdose That Changed Everything

Laurie Pinka 1:25

Well, the premise of this is I lost my son to uh substance abuse. He was 19. Um he died 10 years ago, this is coming July.

Jerry Gretzinger 1:35

James's story is one that has become all too common. Early experimentation with marijuana in the eighth grade that accelerated to party drugs, prescription opioids, and eventually heroin. Laurie describes his addiction as fast and furious. But after a second stay in a treatment center, James started to turn things around and did not use drugs for eight months.

Laurie Pinka 1:56

He was off of never never turned back to any of those hard drugs again. And then he was dared by a friend to swallow a bottle of Cough and Cold. And he was told by a friend, like, it's the greatest high, it's so cheap, but you you have to swallow the whole bottle of pills. Like, I wouldn't swallow a bottle of vitamin C, like how you know, but an addict's mind is different. He figured, like, a bottle of cough medicine is not even gonna get me high. And so he swallowed the whole bottle, and he was in front of his friends when he did it. The friends that I wanted in his life. Um, but what he forgot about is that his psychiatrist prescribed him Xanax. Um, and it was the combination of those two medications that lowered his respiratory rate down to the point where it stopped his heart, and he died at home. I found him the next day with my daughter, who's still very scarred, but is doing well. And as sad as that is, I I kind of learned quickly that um the spiritual realm is just the other side of here. I believe heaven is just the other side of here. And I believe James and I were a pretty strong team when he was here, and I kind of had this feeling that we can still be a team, but in a different way. I just need to open my heart and my ears to the universe, which I think I've done, and I I I really believe that he guides me.

Bringing CrossFit Into The Jail

Jerry Gretzinger 3:17

Good job, guys! Perhaps it was James who put his mom in front of the television when she saw a news report about links between high-intensity fitness and addiction recovery. Something told her this was a way to make a difference, to help others like her son. She reached out to local law enforcement leaders and got permission to team up with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Addiction Treatment Program.

Errol Toulon 3:39

You know, in the beginning, being someone that works in jails their whole life, you know, how are we gonna get the equipment? Who's how are we gonna afford it? But she made the pathway to uh, you know, getting donations and bringing the equipment in. It's been so instrumental that we actually named that area after James Pinker, James Pinker uh Foundation because Laurie is uh, you know, someone who's very passionate about this.

Laurie Pinka 4:02

It's only a matter of time before who you were and who you are becoming make their peace.

Jerry Gretzinger 4:08

Sheriff Errol Toulon says the program solved a persistent issue inside the facility walls, forced idleness.

Errol Toulon 4:15

From my perspective, as far as being the sheriff, you know, we want individuals engaged in various programs that are gonna get them out of a rut, they can see the positive uh side of themselves because many of them are are experiencing a lot of trauma. They're dealing with some uh horrific personal issues. Obviously, they've committed crimes, that's why they're here. But we're trying to focus on a positive.

Laurie Pinka 4:37

You guys are gonna get this one. Let's put it right above your knee.

Errol Toulon 4:41

You know, with Laurie, it's never on uh uh a low speed, she's always moving in in the HOV lane.

Jerry Gretzinger 4:48

And that high-speed drive has yielded results, catching the attention of corrections officials across the state.

Errol Toulon 4:53

Our recidivism rate compared to the national and even the state average is very low. Six over 60% nationally, over 40% New York State, and those that participate in the programs here in our facilities, it's between 17 to 20 percent. And so CrossFit being one of many programs is very viable because of that opportunity to want to continue because not only do you feel good with your mind, you feel great with your

The Brain Chemistry Behind Exercise

Errol Toulon 5:20

body.

Jerry Gretzinger 5:20

Laurie says behind the success is science.

Laurie Pinka 5:24

There are three hormones that are released: um, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. And those are the same, those, those hormones and the feelings that you get from those hormones are exactly what people chase when they're getting high. So um, you know, I hate to say that we replace a bad addiction with a good one, but there is a reason why people that, you know, have fitness in their lives every day are pretty positive, you know, happy people. Yoga is also like a very nice form of exercise for people, for old people, of course, but for people in recovery too, because of the connection and learning how to meditate and being quiet and still. But sometimes, especially in the early stages of recovery, they're not ready for that quiet time yet. So I've had them tell me that like the music gets to drown out the noise that they they have in their head and they just get to release

From Incarcerated To Coach

Laurie Pinka 6:13

it.

John Murray 6:13

I was incarcerated here multiple times between 2000 and 2018. So more times than I care to remember, you can imagine. I never wanted to walk through these doors again.

Jerry Gretzinger 6:24

All right, ladies, come on over to the whiteboard, we're gonna go over the workout. But former inmate John Murray does walk into the jail with a smile on his face. He's now there as a trainer with Laurie's program after fitness has made the difference for him. So we're gonna start with three to five minutes of warm-up.

John Murray 6:40

When I got clean, I got back into CrossFit, which helped me immensely stay sober. Um, and I found out about uh Lit Laurie's program through the CrossFit gym I went to, and I figured that was a perfect fit because uh what a better way to get back. Oh, I firmly believe everybody has something that keeps them sober, whether it's usually it's a purpose or like meetings, programs, and whatnot. This is my program. You can lean down if you need to.

Laurie Pinka 7:06

I have a staff of 12 coaches. Many of them, uh half of them almost, are what I call my full circle people. People that were once incarcerated in jail and made their way into sober living when they left, found CrossFit as their passion, and have turned their lives around with it. And now are coaching for me. And like those are some of our greatest moments to see them walk back into jail.

Why It’s Called 1017 Fitness

John Murray 7:29

Good job.

Jerry Gretzinger 7:30

And when they walk back in, they're in a different uniform, sporting the name of Laurie's program, 1017 Fitness. A number that was important to her son because it was connected to one of his favorite musicians. Laurie discovered it's also considered a powerful angel number.

Laurie Pinka 7:45

It suggests that the path that you're on in life is chosen for you. We don't have that choice, and it is your destined path, no matter how hard they struggle. And eventually you will get down it with success. And when you do, you will bring illumination to others. And when I read that, I was like, oh my gosh, we have to name the fitness program 1017.

Jerry Gretzinger 8:06

And then there's their slogan, a quote by Maya Angela. Still I rise.

Laurie Pinka 8:11

After a CrossFit workout, sometimes they're super intense and people fall on the ground. You witnessed some of that. I fell on the ground today. But we still have to get up, and we still have to put one foot in front of the other, and we still have to get out those gym doors. And that translates to life. No matter how hard you fall, you still need to get up. I always tell them, like, the one thing that you have now that that maybe you don't recognize it as a gift is the gift of time. You have all of this forced time to get to know yourselves, your sober selves. You have time to fall in love with who you truly are, and embrace that person. And now take that person on a healthy journey. Let's do this together. Thank you guys.

You Matter And Where To Get Help

Jerry Gretzinger 8:49

Laurie is doing a world of good, all in the memory of her son. She asks us to leave you with this parting message. You matter, your life matters, and you are worth the fight. You can find out more information about the James Pinka Foundation by visiting our website, oasas.ny.gov, or visiting our socials. If you or a loved one needs help, you can reach out to our hopeline at 877-8-Hope NY. Support is there, and it's available 247. Thank you for joining us. I'm Jerry Gretzinger.