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Growing up Cajun in South Louisiana, Jason’s tough childhood was punctuated by drinking at age 8 and smoking crack by 14. His predilection for rageful and violent behavior was fueled by daily use of alcohol and drugs. His life spun rapidly out of control when he stole a car at gunpoint and led police on a high speed chase through the streets of New Orleans. Jason was sent to prison where he managed his fear and boredom by staying high every day. His one attempt at prison escape ended after an 8-hour pursuit by guards on horseback who caught him in the undergrowth of a nearby forest. When he was released after 13 years behind bars, Jason went right back to his old life of drinking and using, during which time he was in two abusive marriages that ended in divorce and two children in the balance. As his life spiraled downward, Jason somehow managed to keep a job where he happened to know a few men who had gotten sober. By the time he hit bottom in early 2021, Jason’s meager knowledge of rehab was enough to inspire a drive to Houston where he knew no one. He detoxed alone for seven days in a motel room. Emerging shaky and broken, he was somehow able to get a bed in a state-sponsored men’s rehab facility and, later, a sober living house. It was in those places that Jason found and embraced the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
After the sordid life he had led, Jason knew the odds were stacked heavily against his ever staying sober. But, so far, he has beaten those odds by establishing and maintaining a close connection to AA. Two years sober, Jason has worked the steps with a sponsor and goes to daily meetings where he has developed many relationships with other men. Prayer, reading AA literature, and being of service to his groups and sponsees have all girded his ability and resolve to stay sober one day at a time. As you listen to Jason’s story on today’s episode of AA Recovery Interviews, I believe you will sense the humble nature of the wisdom he has earned at the high cost of experience. For listeners with limited tenures of sobriety, there is much to learn from his words. So I invite you to relax and enjoy the next hour and 10 minutes with my friend and AA brother, Jason S.
If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.
Check out my Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging cover-to-cover, word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and Personal Stories, many of which were left out of the Third and Fourth Editions. Follow us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com
[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs and no one receives financial gain from the show. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. -Howard L.]