He would have loved Dv8 Kitchen.

He loved great food. He would have applauded Dv8’s mission. He would have been a regular.

He was my dad.

Houston, better known as Hoot, passed away a year ago this month. My dad would have celebrated 31 years of sobriety this year. Upon receiving a life-threatening diagnosis induced by substance abuse, he put down his drinks and drugs and picked up the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Or perhaps I should say he devoured the big book of AA.

Hoot was a lawyer by vocation but upon sobriety, he lived and breathed recovery and tried to share it with anyone who would stand still long enough to listen. He gave abundantly his wisdom on sobriety and traveled the entire state to reach those in need through a volunteer organization called Lawyers Helping Lawyers. He not only reached out to his peers, but to my peers and my peers’ peers and so on… He shared his experiences. Some reached back while others did not. One’s reluctance to or downright rejection to sobriety never deterred my dad from continuing his crusade. Hoot crafted his recovery one day at a time, one meeting at a time and kept sobriety only by giving it away –freely– to others.

His dear friend, who spoke at his memorial, said of my dad:   One of the things which made Hoot great is that he believed very strongly in a passage in the AA book, which says: “cling to the thought that in God’s hands, your past is your greatest asset. With it you can help others avoid suffering and death.” All of those terrible, shameful things the alcoholic did can be turned around with God’s help so someone else can be helped. Hoot was able to use all of his past experiences, good and bad, to help others.

My dad would have loved the opportunity to meet new friends while enjoying a delicious cinnamon roll and cup of coffee at Dv8. He would have adored Diane and Rob. He would have championed their efforts and the efforts of all involved.

He would have loved Dv8 Kitchen.

Melissa