EPISODE 041026EPISODE 041026
Clean and Sober Radio
Host Gary Hendler and cohost Louis DeSanto talk frankly about alcohol and drug addiction, from Louis’ high-functioning drinking to his decision to seek treatment and build a sober family life. The conversation also looks at workplace support, new medications, gambling issues and the everyday realities of staying clean and sober.
55:53•11 Apr 2026
From High-Functioning Drinker to Workplace Advocate: Louis DeSanto’s Story on Clean and Sober Radio
Episode Overview
- Addiction can hide behind outward success, making it harder to admit there is a problem and to relate to others’ stories.
- A loved one’s overdose or crisis can become the turning point that finally pushes someone to accept help.
- Supportive partners and families can make a huge difference, especially when they stay involved through treatment and recovery.
- Employers who back staff into treatment often save money and lives compared with ignoring substance use in the workplace.
- New medications such as GLP-1 drugs may significantly reduce cravings, potentially helping more people stay in treatment long enough to stabilise.
“"Your life isn't over. It's only just beginning. If that's what you think is stopping you, go ahead and take the leap."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of Clean and Sober Radio drops you right into a live, chatty studio where serious recovery talk sits alongside banter, classic rock, and sports. Host Gary Hendler is joined by special cohost Louis DeSanto, stepping in while regular cohost Mark Sigmund is on holiday.
The show moves from headline "recovery news"—like Tiger Woods’ latest DUI and question marks over high‑priced overseas treatment—to the everyday reality of addiction affecting people from every background. Louis shares how his drinking hid behind success: president of his fraternity, TV news anchor at Shippensburg, a big salary straight out of college.
It all looked great on paper until his advisor played back a broadcast where he was clearly drunk on air, his "first consequence" that still wasn’t enough to stop him. The real jolt came years later when his younger brother’s best friend died from an overdose, and Louis finally agreed to treatment at 26, backed by his then‑girlfriend, now wife.
Listeners hear how sobriety has reshaped his life—marriage, young children who only know a dad who "doesn’t drink" and can always pick them up, and a career focused on helping others. Louis talks about working with treatment centres and construction firms, arguing that supporting employees into treatment is cheaper and kinder than carrying on with silent suffering on the payroll.
The conversation ranges across emotional triggers like music and sports memories, the rise of gambling and online betting, new medications that may cut cravings, and the power of seeing old using buddies show up in AA. As Louis puts it, "Your life isn't over. It's only just beginning" if you choose help. If you’re wondering whether recovery could actually open your life up rather than shrink it, this one might get you thinking.
So what’s really stopping you from taking that first step?
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