Recovery, Service, and Second Chances

Presenters: Julie L and Peter D
Episode length: 1 hour 20 minutes (confirmed by Peter)
Release date: Friday, October 16, 2026

Brad O. wanted to play college baseball. Drinking and drug use took that goal away, and four DUIs eventually led him to treatment. Early recovery was rough. He kept going to Alcoholics Anonymous, and when he reached five years sober, an unexpected job offer gave him a way to help others at a detox program. Brad talks with Julie and Peter about making amends, working with people who face treatment or prison, and why he keeps opening doors even though each person must choose to walk through.

• 00:04:48 Brad traces his arrests, his lost baseball goal, and the moment he saw his infant son while sitting in jail.
• 00:07:54 A fourth DUI, treatment, and the difficult stretch before his January 1991 sobriety date.
• 00:11:46 Two women from his home group find Brad at a gas station, and one hug helps him decide to trust the fellowship.
• 00:15:00 Brad describes an amends to his former wife that took years to pay back.
• 00:18:00 A nurse's advice about taking care of himself comes back to Brad when he reaches five years sober and begins working in detox.
• 00:21:08 Brad recalls his work with Volunteers of America Oregon and a treatment-readiness program at Inverness Jail.
• 00:24:40 Brad says everybody deserves a chance, because you never know when the light will go on for someone.
• 00:26:13 Brad sums up his work: he gets to open the door, and each person still has to walk through.
• 00:27:13 He now helps families talk through what to do when a loved one is in trouble.
• 00:35:28 Brad remembers accompanying his mother to an Al-Anon club as a child.
• 00:43:34 Brad says he does not give up on people, even when they need another chance.
• 00:50:16 Brad describes surrender as stepping back, regrouping, and returning more stable.
• 00:52:29 Brad describes the camaraderie he found in sober softball.
• 01:01:00 A cyclist confronts Brad after he cuts him off; Brad talks about owning the mistake.
• 01:15:13 Brad's message to anyone struggling: stay close to us, because you really are worth it.

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Al-Anon Family Groups
• Go the Distance
• Oregon Recovers
• Volunteers of America Oregon
• Multnomah County treatment courts
• Multnomah County Inverness Jail
• CODA
• Mel Robbins, The Let Them Theory
• Real Recovery Podcast

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