From Meth to Mercy: How Douglas Sawyer Found Redemption and is Now Feeding a Town with Love

The Lyons Park on South Maple Ave. in Newkirk will be the location for a free cookout on June 8th at noon, and while that alone is incredible, the story behind why Douglas Sawyer is cooking hundreds of burgers and hotdogs for the community is something you have to read to believe. 

On June 8, when the smoky aroma of grilled burgers and hotdogs drifts through the streets of Newkirk, few may realize the depth of transformation behind the man at the grill. For Douglas Sawyer, this free community cookout isn’t just a gesture of goodwill—it’s a powerful act of redemption, recovery, and living amends.

“I was an addict for about 25 years,” Sawyer says, his voice calm but resolute. “Meth, mostly. I wasn’t a bad person—I just made a lot of bad choices for a long time.”

But everything changed on June 2, 2012. Homeless and desperate, Sawyer made a quiet decision to accept his mother’s offer to come stay with her in Blackwell, Oklahoma. What unfolded next was nothing short of a spiritual awakening—complete with signs, setbacks, and a remarkable turn of grace.

“I asked for a sign,” he recalls. “I was drunk, walking home one night. I said, ‘If You’re there, show me.’ And the streetlight blew out.” He pauses. “I thought it was cliché. But later, a voice told me: ‘Call your sister.’ My phone was dead, but I tried anyway. It came on—just long enough.”

That moment led him to Blackwell, to recovery centers and ultimately to Narcotics Anonymous. From there, Sawyer made a vow: to not just get clean, but to live differently. Permanently.

Now clean for nearly 13 years, Douglas Sawyer is more than a success story—he’s a servant to his community. By day, he works his sanitation route with Davis Sanitation, having run the same route in Newkirk since 2015. He’s not just the trash man—he’s a neighbor, a friend, a lifeline.

“I know most of my customers by name. I treat everyone the way I want to be treated—kindness, no matter what,” he says. “And man, I love this town. They’ve loved me back.”

This love and gratitude have inspired Sawyer to host free cookouts—his own form of the Ninth Step of addiction recovery: making amends. With many people from his past out of reach, he gives back in the most tangible way he can—through food and fellowship.

“This will be my third cookout,” he explains. “I’ve done one in Stillwater, one in Blackwell, and this year, I chose Newkirk. I’ve thought about it before, but wasn’t sure how it would be received. Turns out, the support’s overwhelming.”

Indeed, when Sawyer posted the event on Facebook, the response was immediate and heartfelt. Dozens of community members voiced their support, eager to show up, lend a hand, or just say thanks.

What makes Sawyer’s story even more poignant is the quiet heroism behind the scenes—his mother and sister, who both passed last year, were instrumental in his journey. His sponsor, his trash route supervisor, and countless community members have each played a part in helping Douglas not only stay clean but thrive.

When asked why he continues to give, even to those who’ve hurt him, his answer is simple: “Because it’s not about what they did or didn’t do. It’s about who I choose to be now. I don’t give because someone earned it. I give because that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

So on June 8 at noon, at what may seem like an ordinary cookout in an ordinary Oklahoma town, a man named Douglas Sawyer will quietly continue a most extraordinary journey—one of redemption, grace, and unconditional love.

And if you're lucky, you might just leave with more than a full plate. You might leave with hope.