Michael Wagner sits across from host Drew Powell, his nervous energy palpable despite 45 years of sobriety under his belt. There's a beautiful vulnerability as Wagner reveals the painful tapestry of his past – growing up with an alcoholic, mentally ill mother whose unpredictable violence shaped his early years. The moment he shares how he broke his infant son's leg during a drunken fall down the stairs, still keeping the tiny cast as a reminder, the room feels charged with honest reflection.

What makes Wagner's testimony so powerful is that even at 82, he continues experiencing breakthrough healing moments. Just months before this recording, he had a profound realization about compassion for his mother that fundamentally changed how he processed decades-old trauma. "How could my children have any compassion for me if I don't have compassion for my mother?" he asks, revealing how this insight helped break generational cycles of pain.

Wagner doesn't sugar-coat recovery's challenges. He speaks candidly about the shame that plagued him and the professional help required to process his wounds. Yet his story sparkles with moments of synchronicity and higher power intervention that feel almost magical – like randomly meeting the son of a man who helped him decades earlier, or twice being saved from the Vietnam draft by the same medical condition and doctor.

The rewards of Wagner's 45-year sobriety journey shine brightest when he speaks of his children. The son whose leg he broke is now a respected Buddhism authority who spends quality time with his father. His other children have thrived despite the challenges of their early years. "I didn't fuck him up," Wagner says with wonder and gratitude about his son, "I did for a while, but he got over it."

Wagner leaves listeners with a powerful message about our inherent worth: "You are magnificent, and all mankind will be judged on its likeness to you." His testimony stands as evidence that no matter how broken we feel, healing is possible when we embrace recovery, seek help, and remain patient with the process. Subscribe now to hear more transformative stories of healing and hope.