tonight, down the dark path of opioid addiction. >> i don't want to use. i just can't stop, you know? >> american teenagers. they could be your kids. >> i did a line of oxy. and i fell in love. >> fighting for their lives. >> i've also overdosed three times. >> maybe their last hope, a high school with a key requirement -- you have to be an addict to get in. >> give me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change -- >> the principal who won't let them down. "nightline" coanchor dan harris on an emotional year-long journey. >> do you still worry people will be attending your funeral at some point? >> the brutal setbacks. >> we are driving to go get high. >> and the triumphs they never thought were possible.

>> congratulations, whoo! >> this special edition of "nightline," "recovery high," will be right back. your internet deserves the 100% fiber-optic network. with fios gigabit connection, you get the fastest internet available with download speeds up to 940 megs. it's your last chance to get fios gigabit connection with tv and phone for $79.99 a month online for the first year. plus, your choice of hbo or multi-room dvr service included for 2 years, all with a two year agreement. and verizon wireless customers can stream tv

on the fios mobile app, data-free. hurry and switch now, this offer ends november 4th. go to getfios.com he's a husband, father, veteran... but most of all, he's a fighter. chris brown has never been afraid to take on the big fights. that's why he stood up to republicans and democrats alike to fight the north jersey casinos and the takeover of atlantic city. chris brown is fighting to protect jobs in our region... a true champion for the working men and women of atlantic county. on november 7th, let's keep him fighting for us. chris brown for state senate, he's on our side. this is a special edition of "nightline." "recovery high." dan harris reports. >> i just got to last a business

week of not getting kicked out, not dying. if i can do that for like five days. >> reporter: for harry, staying alive is a goal you have to set. >> [ bleep ]. i feel like such a scumbag. i'm harrison. i am an intravenous heroin user. i'm going to get high. i don't want to use, i just can't stop, you know? you got to stop recording. >> i'm nicole. been doing drugs since i was like 13. i always felt like lonely and depressed. and anxious. other than that, i never felt anything. >> when i say to her things like, you should be a model, she looks at me like i'm crazy. >> it's a struggle. my name is matt. instantly i did a line of oxy. and i fell in love. and it ruined my life.

>> reporter: harry, matt, and nicole are all students at an experimental public high school in worcester, massachusetts, with one main entrance requirement -- you have to be an addict to get in. >> the first thing i think of when i wake up is just like, how's today going to go? am i going to use today? >> i love them like my own children. i don't want to give up on a single kid. >> reporter: susan strong is the principal of rockdale recovery high. >> i'm afraid they're going to overdose. overdose and die. that's my greatest fear. okay, what have we got here? midge call urine? >> reporter: to remain a student you have to be clean of all drugs and alcohol. >> look how clean that is! >> reporter: as america's opioid crisis balloons and teenagers become addicted at younger and younger ages, many people hope this model could be an answer. >> grant me the serenity to

accept the things i cannot change -- >> reporter: "nightline" spent an entire year documenting these students' struggle for sobriety. >> did everyone hear what we're doing? >> we are making cards for carrie. >> is she coming back? >> reporter: they're starting off this school year without harry. >> harry relapsed and almost died on december 26th of 2015. it took two shots of narcan to revive him. har harry's at a halfway who is in springfield. he's kept us away so many night records we love him, we want him back. >> reporter: clean from heroin nearly 90 days, he is free to leave for the day to visit recovery high. >> my heart's beating a little fast now, i must say. >> you look fabulous. >> harry! >> what's up, buddy? how are you doing? >> come in it will be like old times. >> it's bittersweet because

we've had these moments with harry where he's come back and has been in treatment. >> don't act like you don't see me, bro. >> without notice the very next week harry could be on the street carrying 20 bags of heroin. >> reporter: at the end of the day, harry heads back to his halfway house with hopes of rejoining his classmates full-time soon. >> i did some pretty crazy things to get drugs. i stole money. i sold myself. >> how bad did your addiction get at its worst? >> at its worst? i end up watching my friend pass away from an overdose, and i felt responsible, because i was the one that they used the narcan on last time so i was the reason there was no more narcan. >> you had od'd in that same space and they used narcan on you, so there was none left? >> yeah. i've been pretty depressed lately. just been going through whatever i've been going through. >> reporter: after school, instead of going home to her

family, nicole spends her evenings here. >> this is a shared apartment between every lovely person that lives here. one day there was like 15 of us. >> this is our home. her parents even knew that. >> she's disconnecting from her family, i worry about that. >> she is like a mother to me. >> reporter: l.j., a former heroin addict herself, knows how precarious sobriety can be. that's why she says she's always prepared. >> narcan because you never know when people will overdose or relapse and stuff, you want to be prepared. you take the cap off and put it into the nasal, stop somebody from dying. >> i almost died. doctors say i would have waited a couple more minutes, i'd be brain dead. >> there's a batch of heroin people od and are dying on. in the thick of our disease, we don't care. we're going to go for the stuff that's taking everybody out, because that's the better high. >> it's friday morning.

woke up about 30 minutes ago. this thing could go [ bleep ]. >> reporter: matt stopped using oxycontin just two months ago. >> mostly what i was escaping from is i didn't feel i belonged, i didn't feel like i fit in. >> reporter: he's now trying to find his footing in sobriety. >> i hurt a lot of people. i remember telling my dad, burstiburst ing into tears when i told him, it hurt him so bad. >> reporter: to help him, susan tries to find a hook. something to distract him from the urge to use. susan is hoping that hook is hockey. >> i'm out there, it's like a natural high. oh, yeah, right! >> reporter: matt's father, who lives in another town, comes to watch him play. >> he took to it. it's so awesome that matt's dad came today. that's a relationship that's really important to matt. >> it's my favorite thing to do is this. play hockey.

i don't know, why it's just really fun. see you later. >> reporter: as we near the end of december, matt and all the students are dreading the holidays. >> because it's going into the holidays. >> holidays are usually the worst in recovery. i don't know, it's just really stressful to have the whole family together. >> stressful. aunty susie always making drama. >> usually everyone's drinking. >> reporter: for harry, this time is especially dangerous. he has decided to leave his halfway house. >> living back at home now. i don't get that much money at a time, so i don't get high. >> hi, harry. >> hey! >> whenever harry goes back, he immediately starts using heroin. and for harry, that's a death sentence. >> reporter: fearful that harry is using again, susan asks him to come visit. >> hey, what's happening?

>> reporter: when she sees him, her worst fears are confirmed. >> you look pretty high right now. >> oh my god -- yeah i've done a perc. >> have you shot heroin yet? >> no. >> that's a one-way road for you. because you almost died. we might not be so lucky to have two shots of narcan to bring harry back to us. >> yeah, i feel that. >> yeah, so that's what's killing me. that's what's killing alisa. we don't want it to happen again. >> let us get you someplace where you're going to be safe. >> harry doesn't think he's worth saving. and i can't -- you can't walk away from that. >> what's this like for you? >> we can't convince harry to care about himself and believe that in ten years he's going to be amazing. because he will be. if he's not dead. >> reporter: unable to get harry to go back to rehab, susan reverts to plan "b." >> sweetie, you can walk in here tomorrow and start school. >> yeah? >> yeah. you can't come high.

>> no [ bleep ]. >> will you show up tomorrow? >> i probably will. >> we would like you to. hopefully any minute he'll be in. >> texted him this morning, just checking to see if he's still coming in -- >> fingers crossed. >> oh, here he is. >> [ bleep ]. >> nice to see you too. thanks for coming in. >> reporter: for matt, the shock of seeing harry back in school quickly gives way to the realization that harry has relapsed. >> that's my choice to leave? >> no, not at all. >> what are you using? >> percs again. >> dude, you're going to die. >> [ bleep ]. >> really makes me sad about harry. because i'm good friends with him. you know, he will die. 100%. i know it. and it's going to [ bleep ] suck.

>> reporter: the next day, harry is a no-show. >> hi, deb, i wanted to check in. >> reporter: susan calls harry's mom who informs her that he won't be coming in today. >> he's staying home to help work? for real? >> yeah. >> i have to think that is an awful decision. >> awful decision. >> he needs to be here. >> it's the worst decision on the planet. >> reporter: without being connected to his sober friends and without the close monitoring he gets at the school, they are convinced he will use heroin. >> i'm like -- are you freaking kidding me? i got nothing. so angry. you know what we're going to do? focus on the kids that are here. and be positive. because they deserve our attention. >> reporter: as the day ends and school closes down for vacation, the other students cope with holiday stress by exchanging one addiction for another. >> we're going to save some money. >> we're going to buy things we don't need. >> stuff we don't need. >> it's awesome being able to go

to a store and actually be able to buy stuff. cause i used to spend all my money on drugs. >> reporter: harry is coping less well. >> december 27th, 2016. a year ago yesterday, i actua y actually -- when is i overdosed. sadly, i haven't stayed clean. been getting high every day. they don't really know that. >> reporter: then he drops a bomb on us. >> we are driving to go get high right now. yesterday and today i've gott gotten -- i got high on dope. >> reporter: he is back to using heroin. >> hey. got to stop at a corner. we just grabbed from a guy i knew. bag of dope. we got to turn off these lights now. >> reporter: in that car, harry is using heroin. the thing that nearly killed him a year ago.

when we come back, three lives hang in the balance. >> there may be subtitles at the end of this special saying "in loving memory of harrison." and my hygienist says it does but they're not all the same. who knew? i had no idea. so she said, look for one that's shaped like a dental tool with a round brush head. go pro with oral-b. oral-b's rounded brush head surrounds each tooth to gently remove more plaque. and unlike sonicare, oral-b is the only electric toothbrush brand accepted by the american dental association for its effectiveness and safety. my mouth feels so clean. i'll only use an oral-b. oral-b. brush like a pro. having mplaque psoriasise is not always easy. it's a long-distance run. and you have the determination to keep going. humira has a proven track record of being prescribed for nearly 10 years. humira works inside the body to target and help block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to symptoms. in clinical trials,

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♪ for those who know what they're really building. always unstoppable. a bridge shut down over politics. their biggest triumph was a traffic jam. chris christie and kim guadagno's failures shortchanged our future. after 8 years- incomes are down, costs are up and our economy is crawling. we are better than this. i'm phil murphy together we'll build a stronger, fairer economy that works for every new jersey family. christie and guadagno left new jersey stuck. i'm serious about moving new jersey forward.

nice to meet you sir. joseph, i'm nice to meet you.u? how's it going man? the yankees? come on. [ laughing ] look at the smiles and the hard work that the people here are doing. it's like making mini sandwiches. they're no different than anyone else. they just want a job. they want respect and they want dignity. this is a nice place. yeah. he plays basketball with lauren. steve called, fairly frantic. you know, he had a premature baby and i think he had just been given the diagnosis that she had down syndrome. lauren brought out the best in me.

she made me a different person. deep down in his heart he feels for people who are disadvantaged. lauren's a light in everybody eye. she's the spark that has started the fire. the goal is to keep places like this open so all people, regardless of disability, have an opportunity for employment. see, i love you. i love you guys too. you know that. yeah. this special edition of "nightline" continues. >> three teenagers doing battle with addiction, trying not to become one of the estimated 33,000 people who will die of an opioid overdose this year. at least 2,000 of whom will be in massachusetts. after four months of being

clean, harry has gone into full-blown relapse. using heroin. >> driving to go get high right now. high on dope. i don't feel good doing this. i just can't stop, you know? like i don't want to use. but i'm talking to you right now while i'm high. like why isn't my willpower strong enough? it's because i'm weak? is it because like i'm not a man? you have an answer. you have a way out. but you consciously make a decision to buy more misery. to buy more pain. that's what i do. i'm still praying. i just don't know how much i believe in it right now.

>> reporter: back at school, matt has replaced the urge to use with the urge to play. >> me and my buddy zach were asked to play with a bunch of older guys. now i have a chance to like put in everything i have into a sport. not have to think about going home and using. >> how was it? >> it was great. >> it's tuesday, hockey day. i'm pretty [ bleep ] depressed. >> reporter: and nicole, who seemed a little lost during the holidays -- >> i think she doesn't feel like she has a lot to offer. when i say to her things like, you should be a model, she looks at me like i'm crazy. >> reporter: suddenly that dream doesn't seem so crazy. >> i am going to virginia, 40 to 50 agents around the country are going to be there. >> your goal is to become a model? >> yeah. >> you know what? this is awesome. >> reporter: nicole and her mom set out on a road trip, trying to make that dream a reality.

>> i placed first runner-up in my division. i had over 30 call-backs. that's pretty good. >> reporter: but for seniors matt and nicole, a new stressor is looming on the horizon. graduation. >> i'm worried about not having a sense of direction. because i feel a lot of people did that a lot for us here. >> i think even though they're trying to be tough guys, they're all terrified of what tomorrow will bring. >> reporter: one person who will not be at graduation, harry. >> did you use today? >> yeah. >> reporter: after he started using heroin again, harry's parents sent him into involuntary rehab. so we're on our way to see harry now. he recently got out of detox. he's at a transitional home. you pretty confident you can do it this time? >> if i wasn't confident, it's kind of like why even try? >> reporter: now he can even see a future. >> i'm doing this to become a better person for myself. i want to be able to have the

wife, i want to be able to have the kids. i know that's crazy, but why does it have to be crazy? why can't i do that? >> reporter: there is another future he can also see. do you still worry people will be attending your funeral at some point? >> yeah, but i want it to be a party. >> reporter: back at rockdale recovery high, graduation day has finally arrived. and the mood is quite somber. especially for matt, who won't meet our eye. what are you nervous about? >> leaving high school. >> i think he's really emotional about graduating. i also know that he relapsed and he's really embarrassed about that. >> let me ask you a tough question. we heard that you've had a bit of a setback recently. is that true? >> um -- yeah, it's true. i smoked weed. i felt guilty. and i was upset about it. i am sober. i had to restart. the only thing i changed was my clean date. >> are you proud of yourself? >> oh, yeah.

>> here i am, graduating. >> reporter: a modeling career may be in her future. >> i actually have an interview on my birthday. >> the modeling world, it could be one that has temptation in it. does that worry you at all? >> this world that we live in is a huge temptation. you can't destroy yourself. that's not going to work. >> reporter: nicole and matt take the walk they never thought they would. >> it's been a life-changing experience, maybe even a life-saving experience. thank you for never giving up. >> moving forward in life, this will stick with me, the fact that there is a little bit of hope and that there are actually good people. >> reporter: and one final rite of passage. >> one, two, three -- congratulations, whoo! nice job! they're going to do it. they're going to be rock stars. ♪ feel the power of theraflu expressmax.

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your internet deserves the 100% fiber-optic network. with fios gigabit connection, you get the fastest internet available with download speeds up to 940 megs. it's your last chance to get fios gigabit connection with tv and phone for $79.99 a month online for the first year. plus, your choice of hbo or multi-room dvr service included for 2 years, all with a two year agreement. and verizon wireless customers can stream tv on the fios mobile app, data-free. hurry and switch now, this offer ends november 4th. go to getfios.com why arit's because sweeney'sing been exposed as aeeney? double dipping pension padder. caught spending campaign money on lavish dinners and fine cigars for his pals. investigated for being a lobbyist and a senator at the same time. sweeney voted to raise taxes 145 times while our economy continues to struggle. south jersey is a mess, and it's time to take out the trash. on november 7th, make a change. dump sweeney.

before we go, i want to thank the team that worked so hard on tonight's broadcast, including "nightline" producer aaron brady and "nightline" senior producer jeff marts. thank you for watching abc news tonight. we're online 24/7 at abcnews.com and our "nightline" facebook page. >> when i tell people i host this show, they always ask me, what's my favorite question? well, it's one i hope i get a chance to ask someone today: how's it feel to win $1 million? it's time to play "who wants to be a millionaire." [dramatic music] ♪ i hope i ask this guy that question in just a little bit. >> so do i. >> welcome to the show.

are you guys ready to go today? [cheers and applause] good. we're in the middle of a great game. i'm here with christian sorge, our returning contestant, who's a bit of a gambler. took some chances in our last game and he has gambled his way to $20,000. lots in the bank. >> not bad. >> that puts you six questions away from $1 million. >> wow. >> and even closer, you're just two questions away from that $50,000 threshold, so couple big stops along the way. the only downside, if there is one, no lifelines. >> right. >> so no net. >> nope. >> just you and i out here. >> you, me, and that board. >> and the beard. >> yes, and the beard, 'course. >> just you, me, and beard. and $1 million. coming to cinema this summer. [laughter] all right, let's get back to your game. you ready to go? >> i'm ready, let's do this. >> let's play "who wants to be a millionaire." [dramatic musical flourish] we get back into it with a $30,000 question. that's what's on the board.