Councilman Darwiche’s journey of recovery

Councilman Rabih Darwiche shares his journey at Hype Athletics.

By Sarah Shurge – Since 1989, National Recovery Month has been observed every September.
This is a national observance to celebrate the gains made by those in recovery from substance use disorder, to promote the belief that recovery is possible for everyone, and to support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices for mental and substance use disorders.
Addiction is a disease that doesn’t discriminate – it can happen to anyone, and anyone could be going through recovery.
Councilman Rabih Darwiche is no stranger to sharing his recovery story. Darwiche’s story began at the age of 19 when he suffered a knee injury in basketball. He tore his ACL and MCL and was prescribed opioids.
Darwiche became addicted to Vicodin, without even being aware of his addiction. After a year, Darwiche found out what withdrawals were when his doctor took him off his medication and he became ill. He thought he had the flu and went back to the doctor. The doctor informed Darwiche that he was experiencing withdrawals.
Darwiche’s family wanted him to get help, but he was prescribed suboxone (which was used to help treat opioid addiction) by his doctor. He became addicted to that for another two years and once he stopped that, he started going to the streets.
Throughout his 20s, Darwiche swapped out one drug for others, using marijuana and alcohol to cope.
“If it had a name, I did it,” said Darwiche. “I wasn’t progressing in life. I was going from one job to the other. Every time I’d achieve anything, I’d lose it by relapsing.”
Then in 2009, Darwiche had a bungee cord accident. The cord snapped and the hook went into his right eye. Darwiche underwent surgery for retinal detachment, resulting in him being half blind now with visual disturbance in his right eye. “That put me down for a couple of years and I relapsed after that,” said Darwiche.
Darwiche would be sober for a good six months and then relapse. “You know the saying: one is too many and a thousand isn’t enough,” said Darwiche.
Over a six-year period, Darwiche went to rehab around 20 times. He would go to detox and walk out.
There are many reasons Darwiche left, including: he wasn’t ready, he wasn’t comfortable in his own skin, he was going through a heart break, he got into a fight with someone there, etc.
Then on May 3rd, 2016, Darwiche went to rehab for the last time. His last time and very first time attending rehab were the only two times he graduated.
Darwiche almost had liver and kidney failure and he had 16 charges against him, including: possession, DUI, suspended license, and he was facing up to nine years in prison.
“I never got caught doing anything until I was 30,” said Darwiche. “I went into rehab hopeless and spiritually bankrupt.”
Darwiche met a few people in drug treatment at Oakdale Recovery Center in Canton and heard about Save By Grace at CrossPointe Community Church.
The first turning point in Darwiche’s recovery happened when he returned home and everything in his room had been changed. He stared at the cigarette burns that remained on the floor and the hair on the back of his neck stood up.
At 33 years old, Darwiche was the youngest of seven children (four sisters and two brothers) and he was the only one living with their parents. He walked into the living room and looked at his parents – his father had Alzheimer’s and dementia, while his mother had diabetes – and he said, “three sick people can’t help each other,” and walked out.
“I realized if I stayed home, I would die,” said Darwiche.
The second turning point happened a day later when Darwiche was at a three-quarter house. There was a bad thunderstorm, the power went out, it was 95 degrees with no AC, there were bed bugs, 14 guys in the living room, and it smelled like feet.

Councilman Darwiche being sworn in as a Wayne City Councilman by Ali Sayed.

“I chose to stay because I thought: one night of this is better than suffering with active addiction,” said Darwiche. “That was freedom to me.”
Darwiche went to Save By Grace, started volunteering at CrossPointe, and got a few jobs.
The pastor at CrossPointe asked Lori Gouin, the DDA director, about job opportunities and she said she knew a guy at HYPE about a maintenance job.
Darwiche filled out an application and went in for an interview where he met Ali Sayed, founder and CEO of HYPE Athletics. During the interview, he mentioned substance abuse and was talking about what HYPE stood for (Helping Youth Progress and Excel). Darwiche stated that if the job got in the way of his recovery, he’d quit.
Sayed suggested bringing meetings to HYPE and Darwiche was hired on the maintenance team about nine years ago.
“What inspired me to stay at the nonprofit and HYPE working maintenance was that as I was cleaning toilets, I thought: you’ve never stayed consistent. For the first time in my life – at 33 years old – I’m gonna gain consistency,” said Darwiche.
Darwiche took care of his father during his final three years before passing.
“I was disgusted changing his depends, but cleaning bathrooms no longer made me disgusted. It changed me. I was grateful,” said Darwiche.
In active addiction Darwiche was mean to his mother. While working maintenance, Darwiche remembered how she took care of seven kids and cleaned the bathroom every day, and he gained a new respect for his mother for cleaning the bathroom every single day.
This inspired him to become even better at maintenance.
“I decided I’ll become the greatest toilet scrubber,” said Darwiche.
Darwiche gained a lot of compliments for cleanliness at HYPE. He started gaining values and climbing chains.
“I gained a purpose and changed my perspective. I got that from people that inspired me in recovery and volunteering in things in the community,” said Darwiche.
Darwiche has been sober for nine years and was promoted to general manager at HYPE in 2022.
“Recovery isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning. It takes courage to get in sobriety, and discipline to stay there. When cravings come, remember how far you’ve come. Change is real,” said Darwiche. “My first day walking into rehab I couldn’t comprehend staying sober more than one day. Now I can’t comprehend the idea of using. It’s so far distant to me.”
Darwiche oversees all the departments and programs at HYPE, and he is currently serving in the following organizations: Wayne City Council 2024, City of Wayne Planning Commission since 2022, Board of Directors at Wayne Rotary since 2023, Wayne Westland Health & Welfare Advisory Board 2024, Outreach Director for Safe Wellness Center,
Kiwanis of Wayne-Westland Board member 2024, and Board of Directors at FAN Northwest Wayne County since 2023.
FAN (Face Addiction Now) formerly known as “Families Against Narcotics” has the mission to provide education, resources, and support to families and individuals impacted by addiction. The Northwest Wayne County FAN chapter was launched in March 2017.
FAN seeks to change the face of addiction and end the stigma of addiction, while educating the community, as well as those affected by addiction by creating positive change in the treatment of addiction.
“Recovery is hard. Addiction is even harder. Support can make the difference between giving up and pushing though,” said Darwiche. “National Recovery Month is important because it brings awareness to let people know that nobody is alone.”
If you are struggling with addiction or going through recovery, you aren’t alone, and help is out there.
The first Monday of every month from 6 – 8 p.m. at HYPE (4635 Howe Rd), FAN puts on forums to spread information and offer a network of support to those affected by addiction. Experts and guest speakers speak on all aspects of addiction to help the families.
For more information about FAN, visit faceaddictionnow.org/support-/northwest.
For more information about HYPE Athletics, visit hypeathletics-.org.
The Recovery Action Network of Michigan (RANMI) launched its very first Recovery Community Center in the heart of downtown Wayne. The Recovery Community Center will serve as a welcoming and safe environment for people in recovery and offers a variety of free resources and peer-driven support services.
Recovery Action Network of Michigan is located at 35112 W. Michigan Ave. For more information about Recovery Action Network of Michigan, visit ran-mi.org, email info@ranmi.org, or call (248)938-2134. To receive services, call or email.
If you need help with your recovery or addiction, do not hesitate to reach out. “You don’t have to do it alone. Reach out. Ask for help. You’re stronger than you think and your life is worth fighting for,” said Darwiche.
Congratulations to Councilman Darwiche on nine years of sobriety!