A Life I Almost MissedA Life I Almost Missed
217 Recovery
There was a time Corey was ready to call it a life. Now, with two young kids, a movie in the works, and people to help, there never seems to be enough time. Justin Burke returns to the microphone for a conversation about what recovery makes...
35:47•6 Nov 2026
A Life I Almost Missed: Corey and Justin on Addiction, Hope and Second Chances
Episode Overview
- Recovery often starts when someone personally decides to put their foot down and move forward, regardless of outside advice.
- Meth and other drugs can feel deceptively manageable at first, hiding addiction behind a lack of obvious withdrawal symptoms.
- Sharing goals out loud — through a podcast or other creative outlet — can make them feel real and help keep long-term recovery on track.
- Helping others get to treatment and offering honest conversation on the way can give people their first glimpse of hope.
- Life in recovery still brings setbacks and hard days, but choosing not to let one problem ruin the entire day is a key skill.
“Until they want to do it. Until their foot is in the ground going, ‘All right, let’s go.’”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This chat between host Corey Winfield and returning guest Justin Burke gives you a front-row seat to the messy, funny, and emotional reality of life after addiction. You’ll hear Corey reflect on the days he was ready to "just give up on life" and how that same man is now juggling two small kids, a growing non-profit, and a film project about addiction and treatment.
He talks about using the podcast like a spoken journal, saying goals out loud so they become real — and holding himself accountable as they slowly turn into actual movies, rides to treatment, and new ways to help people.
Justin brings a raw account of how meth first entered his life: a casual line offered by a friend after a marriage breakup, the trap of a drug that convinces you you’re "not really addicted", and the shame of watching relationships and family time slip away. He describes crying after using, seeing history repeat in his daughter, and the long road from jail to being the guy in a button-up shirt that people in early recovery look up to.
The episode also digs into what makes 217 Recovery different: a deliberately unpolished, honest style that keeps the conversation real, even if it means leaving in the rambles and tangents. Corey and Justin swap stories about radio, short attention spans, creative outlets like songwriting and filmmaking, and the everyday micro-crises — like a flashing check engine light — that can derail a day if you let them.
At its heart, this is for anyone who’s had that "I’m done" moment and wonders if a rich, busy, meaningful life is still possible. It asks a simple question: what happens when you finally put your foot down and say, "This time, I’m moving forward"?
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