029: "The Monkey on My Back" Randy H. now 15 years sober, takes us through 20 years of drug dealing, addiction and alcoholism.029: "The Monkey on My Back" Randy H. now 15 years sober, takes us through 20 years of drug dealing, addiction and alcoholism.
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Randy H. recounts two decades of drug dealing, cocaine and alcohol use that nearly killed him, and how committing to AA led to 15 years of sobriety. His story moves from chaos and car crashes to spiritual growth, global adventures and helping build a recovery community in Nicaragua.
1:00:41•1 Sept 2015
From Closet Floor to Kilimanjaro: Randy H.’s Wild Ride into Sobriety
Episode Overview
- Seeing AA as the “last house on the block” helped Randy commit fully, fearing he had no more runs left in him.
- Getting a sponsor, working all 12 steps, and especially completing the Fourth Step were central to his early recovery.
- Regular meetings, service commitments and “hanging with the winners” gave structure, community and accountability.
- Daily quiet time, prayer and gratitude for another 24 hours clean remain key parts of his ongoing sobriety.
- Helping start and support English‑speaking AA meetings in Nicaragua is how he “keeps it by giving it away.”
“This is a miracle, and that’s all because I followed some suggestions, did those 12 steps, got a sponsor, hung out with the right people and finally got that spiritual connection.”
Get ready to be moved by real-life accounts of what addiction can steal – and what recovery can give back. In this candid conversation on The SHAIR Recovery Podcast, Omar Pinto talks with Randy H., who shares how 20 years of drug dealing, pills, cocaine and heavy drinking eventually gave way to 15 years of sobriety and a very different kind of life.
Randy starts with the contrast: growing up in a strict Baptist home where he didn’t drink at all, then bolting at 18, crashing in a friend’s closet and quickly becoming the go-to dealer for college campuses. Pills, coke and booze gave him what he calls “chemical courage”, letting him feel less awkward and more accepted – until the chaos of hit‑and‑runs, blackouts and near‑disasters piled up. Things escalated when he moved to Mexico to sell timeshares.
Days were for selling; nights were for massive cocaine use and marathon drinking sessions. Easy access to drugs, a chimpanzee as a bar‑hopping companion, and a constant stream of tourists meant the party never stopped – at least on the outside. You’ll hear how a failed house sale, a move back to the US, and a job just four blocks from AA’s central office in Los Angeles lined up into what Randy sees as a series of “God shots”.
Terrified he had “no more runs left” in him, he threw himself into meetings, got a sponsor, took commitments, and worked the 12 steps hard – especially the Fourth Step. Sobriety didn’t shrink his life; it expanded it. Randy talks about white‑water rafting the Grand Canyon at one year sober, hiking Machu Picchu, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, trekking in Bhutan and Borneo, and eventually settling in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, where he helped start English‑speaking AA meetings.
His message is simple and direct: “In order for me to keep this, I have to give it away.” If you’ve ever wondered whether life can feel bigger without alcohol or drugs, this story might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for.
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