Grammy Award Winning Musician Finds Help at Harbor

Meet Michael

Michael was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and discovered his love for music at an early age and never dreamed of doing anything else but playing guitar. He was a founding member of the alternative rock band called School of Fish. Michael’s talent caught the attention of some big music producers leading to over 50 studio album recordings throughout his 35-year career. In 1995 Michael was invited to join the Wallflowers and record the album “Bringing Down the Horse,” selling over 5 million copies and earning Michael a Grammy award. He was living a good life, traveling the world, and doing what he loved most.  

Michael’s Journey

A couple of failed marriages didn’t help Michael with his ongoing struggle with alcohol. When COVID hit and concert venues closed, Michael’s road got a lot rougher. He couch-surfed at family and friends’ homes and at his lowest point, spent some nights behind a dumpster. 

To make matters worse. Michael is a diabetic. One night he managed to scrap up enough money for a hotel room. He had left his last place in such a hurry that he lost his insulin and was now having a medical crisis. The paramedics were called, and Michael was rushed to the hospital where he spent the next 11 days. 

How Harbor Helped Michael

When the hospital case manager told Michael about Harbor Care, he looked up the website and thought it looked nice enough to give it a try. “The staff was awesome. They were like angels around me, helping me out”, Michael recalled.  

Michael has been sober for six weeks and attends every AA meeting he can get to. “Sometimes I would hit three AA meetings a day. When I sit in a meeting, there is no better place for me to be,” says Michael. 

Michael aspires to get back into the studio and on the stage again. He doesn’t want to subsist on little music royalty checks that show up sporadically in his mailbox and the occasional online guitar lessons he gives. He knows that the key to his future success is maintaining his sobriety by keeping a solid support system around him and attending AA meetings regularly. He is grateful for the care and support from Harbor Care to get back on the road to independence.