Two survivors are on the long road to recovery at a West Baltimore behavioral health facility, a week after a mass overdose incident rocked the intersection of Pennsylvania and North Avenues.

A man in his 50s and a woman in her late 30s or early 40s are currently undergoing treatment at the Tuerk House, a longstanding recovery center. They were among the 27 people who overdosed on Thursday, July 10, in what officials now believe was caused by a particularly potent strain of fentanyl.

"This looks like a really bad strain of fentanyl that was put out there," said Dr. Maud Ayre, Director of the Crisis Stabilization Center. "Of course, when we heard it, we were all on alert."

What is the Tuerk House?

Pierre Thomas, the Director of Admissions at the Tuerk House, called the mass overdose unprecedented.

"It was a scary situation, something I've never seen since I've been in this field and working here," Thomas said.

The survivors were referred to the Tuerk House by local hospitals in the immediate aftermath of the mass overdose. Their rooms are quiet and clinical, yet full of support, with 24-hour nursing staff and access to individual counseling.

"One is downstairs and one is right here in this room," said Thomas, walking WJZ through the facility. "We have a 50-year-old male patient who came here from the hospital. He's getting his detox. He has a full shower, we have providers, and peer support."

Place for support

The goal of the Tuerk House isn't just recovery; it's about dignity and compassion. For many patients, especially those with repeated relapses, the care must be continuous and without judgment.

"They're on the street, so this is home," Thomas said. "When they come here, we want them to feel like they're home. That's why we're called the Tuerk House."

Dr. Ayre emphasized the importance of peer support and community during recovery.

"From what we're hearing, they are hopeful," Dr. Ayre said. "They have other people there who engage with them and talk to them. It gives them that glimmer of hope—they are not in this alone."

A look at the 24/7 Crisis Stabilization Center

The recent mass overdose has renewed concerns about the strength and spread of fentanyl in open-air drug markets throughout Baltimore. But it's also prompted swift action by frontline addiction and mental health workers who say they are committed to being there not just in crisis, but in the weeks and months ahead.

On Friday, WJZ will provide an inside look at the 24/7 Crisis Stabilization Center housed at the Tuerk House, one of the city's most vital resources for those struggling with addiction.

For now, the two survivors remain focused on healing, and those around them are focused on helping them through it.