Gastonia women's shelter built in honor of recovered addict killed in car crash

GASTONIA, N.C. — Samantha Thomas was three months pregnant when she was hit by a driver in a Gastonia intersection in August 2015.

Her husband, Cornell Thomas, said she was an addict who had reclaimed her life and wanted the same for other women like her.

Her death became a call to action for her husband.

Samantha Thomas’s family opened a home in her honor to help other recovering addicts.

"It's a dream come true today," Thomas said.

Thomas couldn't contain his excitement as he took Channel 9 reporter Ken Lemon into the shelter named after his wife.

"She is smiling down at you right now," he said.

Before her crash, Samantha Thomas had beaten her addiction to drugs and was studying to become a dietary nutritionist.

Thomas said his wife beat addiction when the couple created a supportive home where she could grow after rehab.

He told her story to business leaders.

"We are using her name as an inspiration," he said.

They helped to fund Samantha's House, a home filled with symbols of emotional support and professionals to help encourage them.

"This is about investing in people who had no hope," Thomas said.

They got more donations than they needed.

Samantha's House was supposed to open in March, but women in need heard it was nearly complete.

The shelter’s director, Tracey Murray, said they couldn't wait.

"We need to open now," she told Thomas.

They brought in their first tenant last month.

Now three women live there.

"They come in, they look around, they have tears in their eyes," Murray said.

The shelter can accommodate six women, but they are adding another room.

"We can beat this thing called addiction because no addict needs die of this disease," Thomas said.

Thomas said work has already begun to open a home like Samantha's House for men.

Cox Media Group