Benny shares his powerful journey from addiction to faith and service. He describes growing up in a good home but falling into substance abuse at a young age through skateboarding and partying. After years of escalating drug and alcohol use, a series of wake-up calls—including a terrifying panic attack, a hospital visit, and testing positive for meth—led him to seek help. A key turning point was forming a mentorship with a family friend named Phil, who introduced Benny to personal development and critical thinking. Despite several relapses, including one after six months of sobriety at age 21, Benny continued his inner work. A torn ACL in 2021 became another pivotal moment in his journey. Over time, Benny realized the missing piece in his self-improvement was a deeper connection with God. In 2023, he committed fully to sobriety on September 18 and became actively involved in his church, including joining the worship team and mentoring youth. Now, Benny aims to be a living example of transformation and faith, helping others avoid the path he once walked.

Patti Otto shares her deeply personal journey through addiction, broken relationships, and ultimately, redemption. Patty reflects on growing up in a loving Christian home yet struggling with low self-worth that led to substance abuse at age 14. Her addiction escalated to meth use and a chaotic lifestyle, including strained family ties, legal troubles, and a secret double life. After becoming pregnant and hitting a rock bottom that involved losing custody of her newborn son Kayden, Patti had a spiritual breakthrough, crying out to God for help. This marked the beginning of her recovery. She rebuilt her life through treatment, faith, and family support, eventually regaining custody, becoming a family with Dennis, and building a new life rooted in faith. The couple got married, had a second child, and became active in their church. The story concludes with a dramatic health crisis Dennis faced years later, during which Patti leaned heavily on her faith. Her testimony is one of pain, healing, and the transforming power of God’s grace.

Anyone can throw a punch. Anyone can sell a drug. Anyone can manufacture meth. None of it takes any special skill or strength or courage. There is no glory in these stories. This podcast is about what God has done and about what God is doing. Look into the eyes of that man in the mugshot and you'll see no life there. That man is dead.

Jesus still raises the dead and that's all that matters. Stories about guns and drugs and the gangster life might be exciting, but they only lead back to darkness. Stories about Jesus lead us to the light. That Man is Dead is a story about Jesus. With passion and honesty, Dennis Otto shares how the Holy Spirit transformed an ornery ex-con into a joyful Servant of God.