Phillip Wahby was a 20-year heroin addict who, with the help of a 12-step program, has been sober since May 2011. Phillip earned his Associate of Applied Science-Paramedic from St Louis Community College Forest Park in 1988. As a paramedic for St Louis, he spent 12 years on the front lines providing emergency care and crisis intervention in emergency settings, receiving multiple Dressel Life Saving Awards for his work.

After getting sober in 2011, Phillip completed a recovery dynamics program, lived in sober living for 2.5 years and has worked hard to mend, maintain and create relationships.

Phillip works with local police departments, fire departments and EMS as a First Responder Liaison to aid in removing the stigma that may come with dealing with substance use disorder. In the past 10 years he has participated in countless local community events such as rallies, legislation days, town hall meetings, street and park cleanups, harm reduction services and Narcan distributions.

He serves currently as the elected Area Chairperson for the St Louis Area of Heroin Anonymous and remains grounded in his own recovery.