My name is Dalton and I’m an alcoholic and a drug addict.

I’m not sure if I was born like this or if I somehow crossed a line, but what happened was that alcohol and drugs took over my life. It progressed quickly. When repercussions of my drinking and drug use would set in, I would invariably find myself in a program and with all the best intentions, promising myself and others that I was done. The ‘done’ part never seemed to be happen. Well I can still have a drink, it’s the drugs that are the problem.

Over and over, I repeated this pattern in different ways, with different chemicals, different circumstances, and in different cities. It was never easy to stop drinking and using, but it was significantly more challenging to stay stopped. Eventually, reality hit me as I reached yet another bottom. For the first time, I had some clarity.

During the course of my inpatient treatment, it was strongly suggested that I find a structured sober living. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I was willing enough to do what was suggested to me. When faced with the gravity of my situation and the reality that I would likely end up back to what I always do, drinking and using drugs until I reach an even lower low, I was willing to give anything a shot.

Willing: that’s how I walked through the doors of The Last House and how I started my journey of recovery. My experience in The Last House was profound. I was certain it was the intensive outpatient therapy I attended that would be the catalyst for change, but in retrospect it was the The Last House. It was a community that supported me, challenged me, and most importantly guided me into the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, where I found a solution to my alcoholism and drug addiction.

However, that solution requires work and I don’t believe I would have been able to maintain the concerted effort needed for it. Willingness for me tends toward the ephemeral; it’s here and then it’s gone. Had it not been for The Last House providing the community, structure, and time for me to nurture that willingness, and holding me accountable to the work required for the 12-step program of recovery, I would not have the life I do today.

My sobriety date is July 17th, 2013, and I am 31 years old. I graduated from The Last House in August of 2014 at the age of 22. I live in Paris, France. I have a career path, a wife, and two degrees now. I have healthy relationships with my family and friends. I have stability, freedom, peace, and my life looks vastly different than it used to—inside and out.

I was promised a life beyond my wildest dreams. As Disney and fanciful as it sounded at the time, it turned out to be true, only in a different way. Life isn’t going to be perfect and material successes aren’t guaranteed, but what I have is a life that I didn’t know was possible. The idea of spending even one day free from that aching feeling to alter my state of consciousness with alcohol or drugs seemed impossible — that was beyond my wildest dreams. It’s not always easy and life gets vastly more complicated. I am not perfect, not even close; however, I have tools, people, and a program of recovery to help me walk through whatever comes my way.

If you’re just coming to The Last House, I hope you make the best of it. I hope you get to see things from a different perspective and I hope you get to meet people that challenge you. No mater what, I hope you find the freedom that you deserve, and I hope that you get to help others find it too.

Dalton F.

April 20th 2023

When I entered the Last House, I was a very lost angry and selfish person. Everything was my way and everything was everyone else’s fault. I was not a good person to be around and my defects were at an all time high. It wasn’t until I started going through the house and actually learning to open up to the people around me, which in itself took much time and effort, but when I gave that effort I started to notice changes. I was so angry all the time! The house gave me a place to work on all of the anger and depression in a safe environment. I had many trust issues and the house taught me to learn to trust people again and realize that there were people that cared about me. Today because of the house I can say that my patience is at an all-time high my relationships are better than they have ever been and I am actually happy with my life all around. I wake up with a positive outlook every day and the house taught me how to overcome every day life’s problems. I am so fortunate to have learned all of the wonderful things I have learned, and to have the experience I have had going through the house. I am seriously blessed and thankful for all the people at Last House.

Entering the last house, I was consumed with ego, jealousy and resentment. These defects of character caused me to be extremely uncomfortable in a sober state, but my mind continued to play games with me, telling me that drugs and alcohol were not an escape but a way for me to have fun. I saw nothing but differences in those around me, my roommates and members of AA. My anger and resentment pushed me to isolate from others, silently judge, then blow up on those around me, in an effort to control my situation and remain in power, through my time with the Last House and through the steps of AA, I no longer feel a deep misunderstanding with the world. My resentment towards others doesn’t fuel my anger and ego, but instead is questioned, and I am able to examine my part on almost everything I do or experience day today. I know full heartedly I am an alcoholic and without God, AA and a group of supportive men in my life I will be miserable, which will lead me to relapse. My honesty and integrity was put on front stage at the Last House. I have been able to see how living to the principles of compassion, integrity and selflessness, not only create more meaningful and deeper relationships with others, but also with my self. I have faith in spirituality in my life, which allows me to not feel that I am going against the grain, but with the correct path I was always supposed to be. I have begun to have a full change in perspective.