Under Our Roof

A Congresswoman and her son reveal how he survived a ten-year battle with opioid abuse--and what their family's journey to recovery can teach us about finding hope amidst the unspeakable. When Madeleine Dean discovered that her son, Harry, was stealing from the family to feed a painkiller addiction, she was days away from taking the biggest risk of her life: running for statewide office in Pennsylvania. For years, she had sensed something was wrong. Harry was losing weight and losing friends. He had lost the brightness in his eyes and voice, changing from a young boy with boundless enthusiasm to a shadow of himself, chasing something she could not see. Now, her worst fears had come to light. Under Our Roof is the story of a national crisis suffered in the intimacy of so many homes, told with incredible candor through the dual perspectives of a mother rising in politics and a son living a double life, afraid of what would happen if his secret were exposed. In this bracing, uplifting memoir, they discuss the patterns of a family dealing with an unspoken disease, the fear that keeps addicts hiding in shame, and the moments of honesty, faith, and personal insight that led to Harry's recovery. In a country searching for answers to the devastating effects of opioids and drug abuse, Under Our Roof is a ray of hope in the darkness. It is not only a love story between mother and son but an honest account of a pressing national crisis by a family poised to affect change.