Three DUIs, Two Seizures, One Last Chance To Get Sober

Derrick shares a raw, unforgettable sobriety story: growing up in a chaotic home, learning early that alcohol was “dangerous,” and still getting pulled into a cycle of binge drinking, blackouts, DUIs, and arrests. He opens up about the restaurant industry drinking culture, people-pleasing, shame, and how secrecy (“what happens in this house stays in this house”) fueled isolation. Eventually, alcohol dependence escalated to 25–30 beers per day, severe withdrawal, grand mal seizures, and DTs, leading to hospitalization and a medically critical turning point. Derrick has been sober since October 22, 2016, and we talk about what early sobriety was really like, rebuilding a career, and why honesty and community are everything. 0:00 - Introduction & Derek's Story Preview 0:26 - Growing Up in Chaos: Family Struggles with Addiction 3:18 - First Drinks & The "I'll Never Be Like Them" Promise 5:52 - College Years & Losing Control 10:24 - Restaurant Life & Escalating Drinking 13:21 - Three DUIs & Legal Consequences 22:30 - Rock Bottom: Seizures at the Liquor Store 26:31 - Getting Sober & Rebuilding Life 30:24 - Marriage, Family & Writing "The Dog Bowl" 47:24 - Breaking Generational Cycles & Helping Others