Shaun W. AA MaleShaun W. AA Male
Recovery Radio Network
Sean W. recounts his journey from drinking at eight years old, crime and prison, to finding AA in jail and rebuilding life through the Twelve Steps. His talk blends dark humour and honesty as he describes moving from victimhood to service, fatherhood and long-term sobriety.
53:46•17 Jun 2026
From Jailhouse Regular to AA Corrections Chair: Sean W.’s Wild Turnaround
Episode Overview
- Early drinking can feel like relief and belonging, but Sean’s story shows how quickly it grows into lifelong chaos and harm.
- Seeing powerlessness and unmanageability in your own history can be the first real step toward change.
- Working a thorough Fourth and Fifth Step can shift a person from feeling like a victim to living as a survivor who takes responsibility.
- Staying away from romantic distractions early on and focusing on meetings, sponsors and service can stabilise new sobriety.
- Giving back through service, especially in jails and institutions, can keep recovery fresh and meaningful over the long term.
“"I went from a victim to a survivor. That's what happens when you do a fourth step and a fifth step and a sixth step and you heal up in the steps."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? Sean W. answers that question with raw honesty, sharp humour and a story that swings from the absurd to the heartbreaking. Speaking at a large AA gathering, Sean introduces himself as "an alcoholic" who would "chew a nine-volt battery" if it gave him a buzz.
From his first drink at eight years old in a crowded housing project, alcohol becomes the thing that lets him feel "warm and fuzzy" and finally the centre of attention. He talks frankly about growing up without a father, early sexual abuse he only recognised after doing a Fourth Step, and the way drink and drugs pushed him into crime, institutions and repeated prison sentences.
You’ll hear him describe being a state-raised teenager pretending to be a jockey while drunk, crashing off a racehorse, waking up crippled, and still finding ways to blame everyone else. That victim mindset slowly breaks down when a judge offers him a stark choice: 15 years in prison or a recovery programme. Sean admits his recovery really begins the moment he runs out of excuses and has "nothing to say" in front of the judge.
The second half of his talk focuses on life after that surrender: the homeless shelter, early AA meetings, getting a sponsor who speaks his language, and working the steps until he moves from "victim to survivor". He talks about making amends, gaining custody of his daughter, starting a business, and now taking AA meetings back into the very jails where he was once a "52-time offender".
This is aimed at anyone who’s ever felt beyond help, as well as those supporting them. If you think you’re "too far gone" or just need a reminder that change is possible, Sean’s mix of comedy and brutal truth might be exactly what you need today.
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