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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Chef emerges from mental illness


Shane Stevenson is taking restaurant/hospitality classes.  
 (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)

In a story Shane Stevenson wrote about his life, he relates one of his earliest memories – the sound of a shrieking smoke detector triggered by an old toaster. He wrote, “I scream, only to realize that I hate that sound, too. I continue to scream uncontrollably. Then the sound stops. Then blackness again.”

His articulate, well-written memoir demonstrates just how far this amazing young man has come.

“When Shane started coming to us he could barely hold a thought,” said Julie Cruz, a mental health therapist at Multi-Agency Adolescent Program.

The school, with its storefront location on North Foothills Drive, was created to help students struggling with mental illness complete their high school education.

“Shane came to us with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, in 2005,” Cruz said. “He experienced lots of hallucinations and found it hard to hold a conversation.”

Three years later, Stevenson excels in the Spokane Skills Center Culinary Arts program, holds a job at the Sawtooth Grill, and will graduate with his class. Cruz described his transformation as night and day.

That transformation was given a boost when Stevenson became part of a medication study.

“My medication helped me get into remission,” Stevenson said.

He explained that when he came to MAP, adapting to the new environment and making friends were huge challenges for him. The new medication, and the hard work Stevenson did in therapy have allowed this bright young man to emerge from the shadowy isolation of mental illness.

It has also enabled him to pursue a longtime dream.

“When I was 8 or 9, ” he said, “I decided I wanted to be a cook.”

Stevenson has thrived at the Skills Center’s program. His goal is to become a certified Master Chef.

“It’s very fulfilling to serve food that makes someone happy,” he said. “I love to cook like one would love to breathe.”

Cruz is delighted with his progress.

“When I think about where he came from – he’s just a miracle.”

Stevenson plans to pursue his degree at Spokane Community College this fall. He said his dream is to one day “cook at my own restaurant, if I can. I’m hoping and betting on it.”

Stevenson has emerged from the blackness he once wrote about. And his dogged persistence at overcoming his challenges has made him a beacon of hope for others.