When Brian fell off a ladder, it wasn’t just his ankle that broke—it was the illusion of control. In this episode, Brian shares how surrender became his turning point: from chasing escape through alcohol and cocaine to finding freedom in honesty, humility, and service. This is a story about learning to let go, live fully, and find wholeness one day at a time.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Speaker Meeting wherever you get your podcasts.

📲 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @gemineyesproductions

💬 Want to share your story? Visit gemineyesproductions.com/thespeakermeeting

📞 Struggling? Call the SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) — free, 24/7, and confidential.

John Burke is a writer, performer, firefighter, and father from Jersey City, New Jersey. With nearly eight years sober, John reflects on the journey that brought him here—from discovering alcohol as a teenager at punk shows, to the toxic relationships and dark moments that nearly ended it all, to the night he decided it was time to change.

In this conversation, John opens up about the role community, therapy, and fatherhood have played in his recovery, and how staying sober is as much about resilience as it is about surrender. We talk about the Wheel of Fortune reversed, the cycles of change, and what it means to keep showing up even when the ground feels like it’s shifting beneath you.

John’s story is raw, honest, and full of the hard-won wisdom that reminds us: no matter where you are in your journey the wheel always keeps turning.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Speaker Meeting wherever you get your podcasts.

📲 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @gemineyesproductions

💬 Want to share your story? Visit gemineyesproductions.com/thespeakermeeting

📞 Struggling? Call the SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)—free, 24/7, and confidential.

Madeleine’s story is proof that recovery is not just survival—it’s reinvention. From early struggles with substances and years of living on the street, to moments of despair and near-death, she found herself wishing on a star for change. That wish carried her into recovery, where she discovered acceptance, community, and a new sense of self as a trans woman. Today, she works at Serenity Star Recovery, leads Rainbows for Recovery, and continues to rebuild her life with purpose, service, and love.

This conversation, guided by The Star card, reminds us that hope is always possible—even when it feels out of reach.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Speaker Meeting wherever you get your podcasts.

📲 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @gemineyesproductions

💬 Want to share your story? Visit gemineyesproductions.com/thespeakermeeting

📞 Struggling? Call the SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)—free, 24/7, and confidential.