(WIVB)–The reverend who gave the inauguration benediction for President Joe Biden has ties to Western New York.

Reverend Dr. Sylvester Beaman is a Niagara Falls native. He’s been a close friend of the president for nearly 30 years. Beaman says he has been filled with emotion throughout this journey.

“I was just humbled and flushed with a whole lot of emotion. That also included reverential fear, because this is a god moment and I’m just humbled that the Lord has given me this opportunity.”

Beaman was the first in his family to go to and graduate college. He credits what he learned growing up in Niagara Falls to his success.