Robert V. Lloyd, pastor who used his faith to overcome addiction, dies of 9/11-linked cancer

Robert V. Lloyd, whose transformation from a Long Island heroin dealer to a pastor inspired thousands, died of 9/11-related cancer on Feb. 12, his family said. He was 77.

The Wheatley Heights resident, known as Bobby, leaves behind a remarkable story of redemption, his family told Newsday.

The Rockville Centre native fell into a life of drugs when he was young, leading to stints in jail as early as 16, said Dianne Lloyd, his wife of 44 years.

He was sentenced to life in prison on drug charges in 1976 but was released, said his son Daniel Lloyd of Amityville. What followed after Bobby Lloyd’s release was a transformation that compelled then-Gov. Mario M. Cuomo to pardon his life parole in 1991, he said.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Bobby Lloyd trekked to lower Manhattan with first responders as a volunteer chaplain. He was diagnosed with 9/11-induced leukemia three years ago, Dianne Lloyd said.

“He was just an extraordinary person,” his wife said.

Dianne and Bobby Lloyd met when Dianne was 10 years old and became close friends. The pair dated “for about 15 minutes” when Dianne was 18, but it didn’t stick, she said. They settled on friendship.

The two found themselves in the throes of drug addiction.

Dianne Lloyd said she later found God and sobriety, changing the trajectory of both of their lives. The couple wed in 1979 and raised eight children.

Bobby Lloyd joined Brooklyn Teen Challenge, where he harnessed his newfound faith to overcome addiction. He enrolled in Bible college and became a minister and used his rough past “to change the lives of people like God had changed him and me,” his wife said.

He chartered a local Teen Challenge program with his brother-in-law Jimmy Jack and co-founded Freedom Chapter International Worship Center in Amityville. Bobby Lloyd also founded Long Island Citizens for Community Values, a nonprofit that advocated for safe internet use. He led the call for making child pornography possession a felony in New York State and also was part of the push in outlawing video recording in dressing rooms, his family said.

Lloyd explored his life in his 2016 book, “Black Knight: From Pushin Dope to Pushin Hope.”

“He was ahead of his time,” Daniel Lloyd said. “He had a passion to use his story.”

Bobby Lloyd spent his free time watching Western films from the ’50s and ’60s. He also was a loyal Jets fan, no matter what their win-loss record reflected. He remained a devoted lover of muscle cars, especially his cherished 1970 Chevy Nova.

He died at his Wheatley Heights home surrounded by family while his favorite song, “He Is Faithful” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, played in the background.

“We were there for him,” Daniel Lloyd said. “He was there and comforted us our entire lives. We were able to give that back to him at the most intimate time of his life.”

In addition to his wife and son Daniel, Bobby Lloyd also is survived by another son, Robert "Bobby" Lloyd of Wheatley Heights; five daughters, Paula Lloyd of New York City, Monique Lloyd-Goodwill of Bakersfield, California, Chante Caprice Lloyd-Rines of Hempstead, Dawn Lloyd-Matthews of Melville and Bobbette Lloyd-Jackson of Bay Shore; and 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Bobby Lloyd was predeceased by son Gregory Wrobel.

Lloyd’s celebration of life will be held at Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle at 7 p.m. Wednesday. His viewing will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Shiloh Baptist Church in Rockville Centre, followed by his funeral at 11 a.m. He will be buried at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Pinelawn.

By Brinley Hineman

brinley.hineman@newsday.com

Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.