On Friday, Kolb opened his home to News10NBC’s Deanna Dewberry.

Here's just some of that conversation.

Dewberry: "You know that in Albany, experience matters. So do you worry about the representation of Western New York?”

Kolb: “The short answer is yes. You can’t lose that kind of experience knowing the ins and outs of the legislative process, how to get things done whether you're in the majority or minority. And to lose that kind of experience it will be in the short term a step back for the region. There's no question about it."

His decision not to run for office again comes amid a media storm following his arrest for DWI.

Dewberry: “Under the glare of that kind of spotlight, how did your friends and family react?"

Kolb: "Friends, family, colleagues, strangers, and constituents were unbelievably great. People sending texts, Facebook messages. ‘We know you. We love you. One thing doesn't define you.’ Which it doesn't.”

Dewberry: "I was sitting right next to Charles Molineaux when he called you that day after the news [about Kolb’s DWI] broke. And he [Molineaux] came out to the house. And you opened the door. I thought to myself, ‘Would I have opened the door?’ And the answer is, ‘Probably not’. Why did you open the door?"

Kolb’s face reddened as he laughed.

Kolb: “Well you know, I ask myself that sometimes too."

Jokes aside, Kolb says he's always been a guy who is accessible to journalists, even if only to politely say, “I can't talk about the matter right now.”

Kolb: "I looked at this as you all have your job to do too."

While he can't talk about specifics of his DWI case, he does concede it's not been easy.

Dewberry: “When the mugshot is being splashed on TV I'm thinking to myself, ‘What would I do at this point?’ And I don't know that I would be able to get out of bed. And you're sitting here smiling at me. So how did you deal with that?”

Kolb: "There's nothing you can do about it. You can't rewind that video. You can't undo that picture. It's just, it is what it is. It's not the first time I've faced adversity in my life, and I always say, ‘There are people out there and families that have it far worse than this.’"

Kolb is matter-of-fact. There's no self-pity, only gratitude. He’s grateful that he, the son of a laborer and a lunch lady got a chance to serve.

Dewberry: "Twenty years. I think I've affected thousands of lives and also across the state."

He believes he has bettered the lives of New Yorkers through his advocacy for veterans, Gold Star families, Common Core (Learning Standards), and infrastructure improvements.

That work, he says, represents who he is, not that cold night in December when he was arrested.

Dewberry: "What does Brian Kolb want on his tombstone?"

We had chatted for an hour and this was the only question that stumped him. He thought about it for a moment before answering.

Kolb: "I just hope that I was a good human being."

So what's next for Kolb?

He doesn't know yet. But he has a wealth of experience in everything from government to business, and he just wants to make a difference.

He goes to court for the DWI case on March 5.