Boston Strong

Boston Strong

What remarkable journeys have people faced head-on against addiction? This episode follows one of them, as ultra-runner and recovery advocate Henry Ward shares how alcohol once ran his life long before he ever ran a marathon. Henry opens up about growing up in Boston surrounded by heavy drinking, vowing never to drink, and then becoming the person he’d promised himself he’d avoid.

From early “rock star” drinking in high school to DUIs, hit-and-runs, and blackouts in Beijing, his story shows just how sneaky and persistent alcohol dependence can be. He talks frankly about using booze to soften depression, the chaos it brought into his marriage, and the moment he found himself praying in the shower for an “angel” – only to open the door and see a realtor and young couple staring back at him. That jolting scene became his wake-up call.

Host and therapist Coach Blu Robinson keeps things grounded and relatable, gently connecting Henry’s experiences to the patterns he sees in many people’s lives. The conversation is especially helpful for anyone juggling addiction with work, marriage, and family, because Henry doesn’t gloss over the ugly bits: lying about money, hiding bottles, and the emotional toll on his wife.

You’ll also hear how treatment – and one very blunt intake worker – pushed Henry towards genuine change, and how running gradually replaced alcohol as his new “fire”. From a brutally hard first 8k with a stroller to completing the legendary “Boston Quad” multiple times, Henry explains how endurance events became a way to raise funds for treatment access and to start honest conversations about addiction.

If you’ve ever wondered whether life can feel meaningful again after years of drinking, this story shows what can happen when someone finally says, as Henry puts it, “Don’t suffer in silence. Get help. Now, like today’s the day.” Who in your life might need to hear that message?