The stigma of drug addiction, even if one has not gone to prison, can be quite difficult to overcome. Thankfully, three recovering addicts have found success in life at Rise Barber Shop in Nashua.

Chris Dinicola founded the business, while master barbers Craig Brewster and Seth Geraghty stay busy trimming hair at the site.

“Up until now, my whole life, nothing was possible,” Brewster told our reporter. “My life consisted of using drugs, going to jail and overdosing – that was my life. Now, it’s a life – it’s actually a life.”

“Our philosophy has always been reigniting the spirit in the addict,” Dinicola said. “Why I believe in that and why I’m so passionate about that, is because I’m a recovering heroin addict with no education and a criminal record.”

“Every day’s a struggle, but it’s getting better. Every day’s a gift from God to me,” Geraghty added.

Both master barbers agree that being involved in the shop is helping to keep them clean.

We salute the efforts of these three gentlemen. Almost everyone, at some point, does something he or she should not have done. Many come from difficult backgrounds with little support from their families. Not everyone is simply guaranteed success in life.

Rather, for many, life is an ongoing series of challenges. Individuals must do their best to learn from their failures and work to improve their situations. This seems like what Dinicola, Brewster and Geraghty are doing. We wish them continued success with their barbershop.

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