The I of Hurricane Me

Philip W. Natale III spent his fiftieth birthday in a jail cell, homeless and addicted. Substance abuse ruled his life.

But the death of a fellow addict stirs something deep within him and, ten days later, Natale quits methadone cold turkey. A month later, he quits Valium and Klonopin-as well as the pot, fentanyl patches, and other substances that controlled him for so long.

Recovery is an arduous, punishing process both mentally and physically, but Natale perseveres. Life, a clear mind, and sobriety eventually replace the agonizing withdrawal symptoms and, after twenty-three years of substance abuse, he is himself again.

The I of Hurricane Me documents Natale's progress from addiction and withdrawal to recovery and redemption. His powerful short stories and poems reveal the hardships of homelessness and the grim toll of drug abuse, while also recounting insightful, and even humorous, episodes of life on the street.

A moving, gritty depiction of one man's struggle to reclaim his life, this is ultimately a story of hope. Through courage and determination, Natale broke the shackles of dysfunction, pain, and torment. To witness his struggle is to share the lowest-and highest-points in his life.