Mike’s Journey:

I was born and raised in NH.  I’ve always had a passion for sports (especially skiing) and the outdoors. I struggled with addiction for many years before finding sobriety. Since then, I’ve started to feel alive again.  I believe my choice in long-term sober living, as well as being involved in peer-led activities, are some of the things that helped save me. I’m fully involved in my local community and work at the Riverbank. I am also a CRSW supervisor at a local non-profit RCO, Navigating Recovery of the Lakes Region.  I try to carry the message of hope. I’ve spoken at the New England Health Summit for SUD and NH Juvenile Court Diversion Summit, and I’ve been on NHPR radio to speak about recovery.  I do outreach in my local community and facilitate parenting in-recovery classes for men in Belknap County.  Getting involved in giving back is one of the best safeguards for my personal wellness.  I always get the most out of being available for others.  There are multiple pathways to freedom from addiction; just pick one and give it some time. I’ve never once regretted waking up sober. I have found my own family in recovery with my loving girlfriend, Mary, and my daughter Mira.

Nominator’s Letter:
I met Mike after moving to New Hampshire just over three years ago. At the time, I was scared and felt very alone. Mike made it his mission to make me feel loved, supported, and encouraged. He went out of his way to help me get connected in the community and boost my recovery capital. What I have learned about Mike is that he is relentless in his pursuit of service to others. I have personally seen him make it his mission to help others exactly as he helped me, especially early in their recovery journey. As a professional, I have adopted Mike as my mentor. I have often said, “If I can do half as good at this job as Mike, I will be successful.” Since our first meeting, I have followed his lead into the Recovery Coaching field. I strive to be a decent professional and a great teammate, as Mike exemplifies daily. Mike has recently become a new father, and one of the coolest things I have had the chance to witness is seeing him embrace the role of a parent and really emulate to me and my peers how to be a good family man. Mike works very hard to balance his professional and personal life to show up for the ones he loves. He has built an incredible recovery community around him and has mentored many men in our area to do the same. And as great as Mike is at this delicate balance between work, fellowship, and family, Mike’s greatest asset is his friendship. My greatest honor in knowing Mike is that I get to call him my friend.
-Grant