David R. from Atlantic Highlands, NJ speaking on steps 1-12 at the NCCYPAA Young Peoples Conference in Raleigh, NC - September 2nd 2006

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David shares how he grew up in a broken and violent home, found alcohol at 14, and quickly spiraled into decades of destruction, losing jobs, relationships, and even his health—eventually ending up drinking mouthwash, homeless, and pronounced dead before being revived. His first attempt at AA failed when he coasted without working the steps, but after a relapse he met a sponsor who walked him through the Big Book and the program in depth, leading to a true spiritual awakening. Through completing amends, he reconciled family relationships, found long-lost relatives, and rebuilt his life. Today he works on Wall Street managing a computer department, earned his degree, is pursuing graduate studies, and lives with faith, service, and peace, emphasizing that AA’s promise of recovery comes through action, honesty, and reliance on God.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Bill L. from Dunellen, NJ and Mike L. from West Orange, NJ speaking at a workshop titled "Maintaining Conscious Contact During the Holidays" in Albany, NY - December 6th 2002

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Barefoot Bill and Mike L. from New Jersey shared their journeys of discovering that simply not drinking was not enough—both described the misery of untreated alcoholism despite time sober, until they embraced the 12 steps and a spiritual solution that changed everything. They spoke of how alcoholism is more than a drinking problem—it’s a spiritual malady that requires growth, service, and ongoing conscious contact with God to maintain peace of mind and freedom. Through humor, fellowship, and quoting the Big Book, they emphasized that recovery is about living in the present, enlarging our spiritual lives, and helping others—not just avoiding alcohol. Their stories highlighted transformation from restless, self-centered lives into contentment, usefulness, and a deeper spiritual awakening.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Travis A. from Spruce Grove, Alberta speaking at the Lethbridge & Southern Alberta Roundup in Lethbridge, Alberta - April 9th 2010

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Travis shares his journey from a troubled youth and early alcoholism—marked by chaos, crime, treatment centers, and homelessness—to finding lasting sobriety at age 22 through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. He spoke of the powerlessness he felt, the transformation that came from working the Steps, and how service, honesty, and a higher power gave his life meaning. In recovery, he rebuilt relationships with his parents and sister, married the love of his life, became a father, pursued his trade as a millwright, bought a home, traveled, and gave back through AA service and public information work. His story highlighted how faith, responsibility, and spiritual growth turned a life of hopelessness into one of family, purpose, and peace of mind.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Kerry C. from Tannersville, PA speaking at the Windsor conference in Windsor, Ontario, Canada - July 25th 2010

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Kerry shares her journey of getting sober at 18, growing up fearful, insecure, and restless, and finding in AA both a spiritual solution and a true home. She described how the steps transformed her from a dishonest, angry, isolated girl into a woman of faith, service, and presence, with a marriage, four children, and deep ties to her fellowship. Through sponsorship, commitments, and daily spiritual practice, she’s learned to live free of crippling fear, see herself as worthy, and be an asset rather than a burden. Her message was clear: the gift of sobriety is not just abstinence, but a spiritual awakening that brings connection, freedom, and a life worth wanting.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Barefoot Bill L. from Westfield, NJ speaking on the topic of Help Others at the Westfield Big Book Workshop of the Spiritual Awakenings Group in Westfield, NJ - August 19th 2012

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Bill shares passionately about the importance of helping others in AA, emphasizing that true service flows only after trusting God and cleaning house. He highlighted how the Big Book repeatedly stresses being of maximum service, not just for relief but for transformation, and that sponsorship should guide people toward independence rather than dependence. Through personal stories—driving hours to work with sponsees, organizing conferences, sending daily inspirational emails, and preserving AA history—he showed how service has become his life. His message was clear: sobriety is not about half measures or complacency but about quick, deep work in the steps, full presence with others, and carrying the gift of awakening forward so both we and others may truly live free.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Sean A. from Vancouver, Canada speaking at West Edmonton Beef dinner in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - June 11th 2008

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Sean shares his journey with honesty and humor, describing how drinking and drugs once consumed his life despite outward success in acting, real estate, and appearances of stability. After hitting bottom, he was 12-stepped into AA in 1974, where he found safety, identification, and a path through the steps that helped him rebuild from despair. He spoke about the power of amends, spiritual growth, and carrying the message, stressing that real recovery comes from one alcoholic helping another. With decades of sobriety, he has faced life’s ups and downs—divorce, health challenges, success and failure—yet remains deeply grateful for AA, a spiritual awakening, and the chance to live with peace, dignity, and purpose.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Scott P. from Elyria, OH speaking at the North Ridgeville Sunday Night Men's group in North Ridgeville, OH - December 4th 2005

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Scott shares a raw and powerful account of his life shaped by alcoholism, beginning with early drinking, blackouts, and growing up in a family where dysfunction felt normal. His drinking escalated into broken relationships, jail time, and deep shame, until a DUI and moment of clarity pushed him to seek real help in AA. He described learning to surrender his ego, work the steps honestly, make amends, and rely on God and fellowship instead of willpower. Today, sobriety has given him peace, a renewed sense of self-worth, marriage to his best friend, and full custody of his son—proof that through honesty, spiritual growth, and service, life can be rebuilt with purpose and hope.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

John K. from Dallas, TX and Myers R. from Dallas, TX speaking on step 1 at the 2nd Annual Stay Sober For Keeps Workshop in Laguna Niguel, CA - January 21st 2012

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John K. shares his experience of being a grateful recovered alcoholic (sober since 1999) and emphasizes how the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is a textbook with precise instructions for recovery rather than just stories or opinions. He contrasts the old AA approach—rapidly taking newcomers through the Steps, focusing on the allergy, the mental obsession, and a spiritual solution—with today’s tendency toward endless discussion meetings and watered-down sponsorship. Using humor, vivid examples, and the “cake recipe” analogy, he drives home that alcoholism is not just about bad decisions or drama but a fatal disease requiring a textbook-guided program of action and spiritual experience. His main accomplishment is living and teaching this structured recovery, showing that half measures and vague fellowship aren’t enough; following the Big Book’s instructions exactly leads to lasting sobriety, sanity, and the ability to help others.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Tara R. from Sedona, AZ speaking at the Connect the Dots group in Las Vegas, NV - November 19th 2012

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Tara shares a powerful arc from early bullying and self-loathing to a first drink at 12 that “saved” her life but led to years of chaos, two marriages, and profound shame—then a turning point after her husband’s death when, despite 19 years dry, desperation nearly took her back out. Guided through the Big Book line-by-line, she experienced a true Third Step surrender, did fearless inventory and amends (including a life-freeing reconciliation with the woman from her first marriage), and discovered that the real problem was in her mind and the real solution was a daily relationship with God and service. Her key accomplishments include maintaining sobriety since August 24, 1986, transforming grief and jealousy into spiritual growth, becoming a devoted mother who made living amends, and sponsoring others with urgency and love. Life-importance takeaway: half measures are torture—when she stopped settling for “crumbs” and worked the Steps as written, she found the banquet of a useful, joyful life centered on God, community, and helping newcomers.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Audrey C. from Dallas, TX and Michael K. from Dallas, TX speaking on steps 1-3 at a sponsorship and 12 Step workshop in Dallas, TX - March 2011

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Audrey C. and Michael K. (seasoned Big Book teachers co-leading a Dallas 2011 workshop) share lived, long-term sobriety marked by heavy sponsorship and service, and they translate that experience into a crisp roadmap: Step One’s honest self-diagnosis (body “allergy” + mind “obsession”), Step Two’s practical hope in a Power greater than ourselves (because our real dilemma is lack of power), and Step Three’s decisive handoff from self-will to a new Director via the Third Step prayer—proved by action that launches 4–12, not by theory. Their core message is life-level, not lecture-level: put God first, serve others, and your life gets bigger than your problem; keep self at the center, and the problem stays bigger than your life. Their accomplishment is turning decades of recovery into a do-this-next method—sponsorship, inventory, amends, and daily service—that lets newcomers trade chaos for purpose and helps old-timers deepen freedom, usefulness, and love.

Music: Deep by KaizanBlu