Debbie Simon with her mother and daughter
“I feel sandwiched between two generations struggling with addiction,” said Simon, who recently joined White Horse’s Board after being moved by Board Chair Tony Fallon’s presentation at her church. “As an adult child that has grown up with addiction, and now dealing with my daughter, that has been in and out of rehab for the past four years, I am feeling the familial and generational impact of the disease. But by the grace of God, and just for today, I am thrilled to have both generations sober and with me today.”
Simon’s personal journey mirrors that of many families served by White Horse. Growing up as a child of addiction with a brother diagnosed with schizophrenia, which she now believes was connected to his own addiction struggles, Simon didn’t find Al-Anon until her 50s. She initially went for her family history but soon discovered her own daughter was showing signs of addiction during her sophomore year of high school.
“When you grow up with addiction, you grow up too fast,” she explained. “You develop these protective instincts. I really think my calling is to protect and help people with this disease.”
That calling has taken on new meaning through her 25-year career in medical marketing, where she has worked on products for mental health and opioid addiction. Her professional expertise, combined with her lived experience, brings a unique perspective to White Horse’s mission to provide hope-filled help to those navigating addiction and mental health challenges.
“I was amazed by all the work White Horse does with so little resources,” noted Simon after learning about the organization’s four Recovery Centers across New Hampshire. “I love that it’s faith-based. Without faith, addiction is just too hard for anyone to overcome.”
As a Board member, Simon’s immediate goals include expanding White Horse’s visibility, particularly among young people who may not know these resources exist. She envisions community events that bring people together.
“There’s no way you can fight addiction alone,” she emphasized. “My goal is to get the message out there and bring people together. Maybe getting young people from White Horse out into the community talking about recovery.”
For Simon, serving on White Horse’s board represents more than professional service—it is a continuation of her family’s recovery story. This past Christmas, three generations gathered at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton, New Hampshire—Simon, her mother, and her daughter, all navigating their own relationships with addiction and recovery.
“I look at Mary and think about what she endured for her son,” she reflected. “That’s kind of why I said yes to White Horse. It’s a higher calling.”
Founded in Center Ossipee, New Hampshire, White Horse Recovery has grown from a small organization into a leading nonprofit with 28 employees across four locations, providing both mental health and substance use disorder services.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. White Horse Recovery offers services for those ready to start their journey to recovery. For more information, call 603-651-1441, Ext. 1.