The 2022 AIIA Uintah Basin Chapter Benefit DinnerThe 2022 AIIA Uintah Basin Chapter Benefit Dinner
Addict II Athlete Podcast
A live benefit dinner from Addict II Athlete’s Uintah Basin chapter shares multiple recovery journeys, from homelessness and paralysis to prison and long-term addiction. Speakers describe how sport, community and honest support help replace shame-filled labels with new identities as champions in recovery.
46:55•21 Nov 2022
From Rock Bottom to "We Are Champions": Stories from the Uintah Basin Benefit Dinner
Episode Overview
- Community-based teams like Addict II Athlete and Ute Strong give people in recovery purpose, structure and long-lasting relationships.
- Creating distance from people who fuel addiction and surrounding yourself with those who uplift you is described as vital in early sobriety.
- Sport, workouts and shared physical challenges help build trust, honesty and vulnerability in ways traditional talking alone may not.
- Taking on roles such as team captain or group leader can boost self-worth by giving clear responsibility and a sense of being needed.
- Changing the labels you carry—from “addict” to “champion” or “success story”—can reshape how you see yourself and your future.
“Recovery from addiction is one of the hardest things a person can do in their life, but the reward of having a clean life is the greatest.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This benefit dinner from the Uintah Basin Chapter of Addict II Athlete gives a front-row seat to that question, with raw, funny, and moving stories shared in front of a live audience. Hosted by Coach Blu Robinson, the episode centres on Coach James Johnson’s chapter benefit dinner and the launch of a new team on the Ute reservation, fittingly named “Ute Strong” by Jonah and Flo Grant.
Jonah explains that in Ute, the name translates to “people strong”, setting the tone for an evening focused on community, culture, and resilience.
You’ll hear team member Liz Hatch talk about going from homeless, pregnant and using, to a working mum rebuilding her life: “Recovery from addiction is one of the hardest things a person can do in their life, but the reward of having a clean life is the greatest.” Her story shows how accountability, honest relationships, and mental health support can rebuild a life piece by piece.
There’s also the powerful account of Samuel Wolf, who became paralysed after a drink‑driving crash and chose to focus on “the light in every situation”, using his experience to encourage others. Former long‑term user Jackson Rasmussen highlights how love and connection, not just structure, keep people in recovery communities like House of Hope and Addict II Athlete.
Therapist and long‑time prison social worker Randi (Mrs P) Peterson shares how Addict II Athlete’s “erase and replace” approach gave incarcerated men purpose, real friendships, and self‑esteem through captains’ roles, 5Ks and team goals. The night rounds out with MMA fighter and coach Daniel Stratton, who talks about years of relapse, an overdose, suicidal thoughts, and finally building a life he’s proud of, including his own gym and 18 months clean.
If you’ve ever wondered whether community support and sport can genuinely change the labels people wear, this episode might get you asking what kind of “champion” you’re ready to become.
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