True Stories
Phoenix House Graduates
Douglas H.
Chef, Sway Restaurant
Peterborough, New Hampshire
I wouldn’t be writing this story if Phoenix House hadn’t saved my life. I was born and raised in New York City, and had a very privileged but abusive upbringing. I numbed my life with drugs but was still able to follow my passion into the restaurant business, starting my apprenticeship at an Upper East Side luxury hotel at the age of fifteen. I was going to school as well as working, and the strain was enormous. Then I discovered speed. Despite my attempts to control my drug habit, it became a monster that I had to feed by selling drugs. I finally crashed and lost everyone and everything.
I ruined my life in New York and went on the run, only to be caught in New Hampshire. The day I was arrested was my turning point. My family helped me get into Phoenix House Dublin Center, where my journey wasn’t easy but was worth it to discover who I really am. Today I am reunited with my own family and have found a second family in Phoenix House. I’ve been clean since September 2003.
When I came to rural New Hampshire from New York I couldn’t imagine living here. Today my life is unfolding in ways I never imagined. While I look back with pride on my accomplishments — attending two culinary schools, working in four-star French restaurants such as Le Cirque, Lutèce and La Grenouille, and being trained by some of the world’s greatest chefs — I take the most pride in my recovery. I continue to keep my recovery in front of me and do my best. I can never repay what Phoenix House has given me, but I’ll always be there for them.