Putting Your People First

"He is spiraling out of control." That's what I told Mike's sister when she picked up on the other end. The call to South Africa was difficult, but she needed to know her brother's condition.

Mike was a dedicated H2B employee. I had known him for years as he worked with me at two different clubs. When we brought him to Jupiter three years ago, I was excited to have him on the team. I had been a mentor to him and was in the process of sponsoring him for his permanent visa, but something was not right. At first, I did not notice the changes in his behavior, frequent breaks, and neglect. However, my gut told me something was off, and my suspicions were confirmed. Mike's girlfriend came to my office. She said he was drinking on the job, and she was concerned about his well-being. This was more than just a few sips here and there, she said. It was a regular occurrence, a dependence.

I was faced with a difficult choice, the fork in the road. Do I let him go? After all, we're in the middle of a busy season, and for the safety and well-being of our club, he can't be here. Or do I try to get him help? I am sure many of you have faced something similar and have been forced to make a decision like this one. After reviewing our policies, assessing the situation, and monitoring his progress, my choice was clear.

It was early evening in South Africa when I called Mike's sister. I introduced myself and told her what was happening. In a forceful tone, I said, "You need to come to the States immediately. Your brother is in bad shape." I could hear the panic in her voice when she said through erratic tears that she did not have the money for the trip. Scared about her brother's health, I made plans for her to come to Florida.

A few days later, I asked Mike to come to my office. When he opened the door, he saw his sister and I waiting for him, and we began our intervention. We expressed our concerns in a non-judgmental and compassionate manner while expressing belief in his ability to overcome the disease of alcoholism. It was incredibly emotional however, after numerous denials, the anger turned to sadness, and Mike finally relented to getting the help he needed.

Four months later, I received a long-distance call from overseas. It was Mike. He was back home and had begun his journey to sobriety. Yes, there were setbacks, but through determination, resilience, and perseverance, Mike sounded like the old Mike I had met many years before. I was proud of his commitment to healing and was caught off guard when he asked if he could return to work for us. I said that he could, but not as a manager. Instead, he would be an hourly employee and work his way back to his old role.

?Mike accepted my offer. He arrived at the club ready for our season. After a teary-eyed hug, he looked me in the eyes and said, "Brett, thank you, you saved my life." I will never forget that moment.

Today, Mike is thriving, doing better than ever, and has become a restaurant manager again. As we know, not all these stories have a positive outcome. Still, I am grateful to the CMAA and our Chairman of the Board of Directors, Joe Mendez, for having the courage to address the mental health and substance use challenges our industry faces and to make it okay to talk about them. There are many great resources out there. I encourage you to create a relationship with a local non-profit dedicated to addiction treatment and support because it’s not a question of if it will happen; it's a question of when.

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