DETROIT (WWJ) – From a drug house to the White House, a Detroit man, who turned his life around then reached back to help others, will be honored in the nation’s capitol this week.

Andre Johnson is the founder of the Detroit Recovery Project (DRP), a prevention treatment and recovery organization to help Detroiters break the addition to drugs and alcohol.

Johnson knows first-hand the struggle of addition and recovery; spending years as a street drug dealer, eventually falling prey to the addiction of drugs and alcohol. “I found myself doing a lot of things I said I would never do,” recalls Johnson.

He says his low point was when his mother “put him out” of her home.

“So, I found myself in a real, real dark place, and I cried out to God, asking for help,” said Johnson.

The 46-year old got the help from two treatment centers and a transition home–before starting his recovery project in 2005 reports WWJ’s Stephanie Davis.

“Along that path, along that journey, I realized I wanted a career that will allow me to help others make that change to help others make that path … so I think my own testimony … and accepting that I made some bad choices in my life and my payment for those bad choices would be to help others to find a light, to find a path, a journey to recovery. And tell the world that recovery is possible,” said Johnson.

“If I see the president, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Johnson. “I may give him a high-five – I may say – I’ve got to take a selfie with you – I may want to record the conversation and say ‘just say hi Andre Johnson.'”

Today DRP which offers an array of services to help substance abusers and those with mental illness has two recovery houses and a third in the works.

The Morehouse College grad will be honored Friday as a Champion of Change at the White House.