MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After U.S. Army Sgt. Christopher A. Pugh II was senselessly killed while trying to break up a fight in Lawton, Oklahoma where he was stationed, his family worked to find a new purpose.
"There's not a day that I don't sit and think of my baby," Machelle Pugh said.
His mom and dad said they still don’t know who killed him.
His death is now what fuels his family’s passion to want to help others, men specifically. She says she and Christopher’s dad are opening a center with resources.
"There are so many resources for women so we wanted to open up a center that would give back to men," Pugh said.
Saturday, the Christopher A. Pugh Center for Men will officially open its doors. The couple intentionally chose to build it here in the Memphis area.
"I think why not Memphis. We look at the news every day and see the devastating things happening all over. I'm sure I'm not the only parent suffering right now that has lost a child. So, I want to be able to give back where I'm residing to give back to this community," Pugh said.
She says their men's center will offer services like job readiness, job placement, individual and group counseling, and even a G.E.D. program for those wanting a better life.
"We want them to be self sufficient. I always think about the families, that could be my baby, father, or mother. So making sure those individuals have long time support became important to me," Pugh said.
She said she hopes men looking for help will take advantage of the things that her son is no longer be able too.
"My goal is one million men in one year whose lives we touch extensively," Pugh said.
The grand opening and ribbon cutting happens Saturday afternoon at 757 Walnut Knoll Ln from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. They’re looking for volunteers to help out around the facility. People can also drop off donations like clothes, food, and money.