This week on Pondoff’s Anonymous, Tony Martin joins the show to share a recovery journey that starts in a small town in Jefferson County and winds through family trauma, addiction, divorce, jail cells, treatment centers, Oxford House, and ultimately a life dedicated to helping others find recovery.Growing up with a mother battling severe mental illness, Tony learned early what it felt like to live in survival mode. After finally escaping a chaotic home environment as a teenager, drugs quickly became more than a way to have fun—they became a way to feel safe, accepted, and connected. What began with marijuana eventually evolved into years of methamphetamine use, heavy drinking, failed relationships, and a growing inability to imagine life without substances.Along the way, Tony reflects on the people who believed in him when he couldn't believe in himself, from his grandmother and teachers to family members who never stopped hoping he'd find another way. He shares stories that are hilarious, heartbreaking, and at times unbelievable—including military enlistment mishaps, bartending at Red Lobster, blackout drinking, and the many rationalizations addiction convinced him were perfectly reasonable.Most importantly, this episode explores what happens when someone who spent years trying to escape pain finally decides to face it. Today, Tony is helping others navigate recovery through Oxford House and nonprofit work, using every lesson from his past to serve people who are walking the same road he once did.This is a conversation about trauma, resilience, second chances, and the reality that recovery is about far more than simply putting down a drink or a drug._____________________Illinois Recovery Center:⁠ https://illinoisrecoverycenter.com/⁠Find us on Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube.⁠https://www.facebook.com/pondoffsanonymous⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/pondoffsanonymous⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@pondoffsanonymous

On this episode of Pondoff's Anonymous, we sit down with Chrissy Shields and her sons, Arty Berreman and Jake Shields, to share the life and legacy of AJ Berreman. Through laughter, tears, and incredible honesty, the Berreman family opens up about AJ's battle with addiction, bipolar disorder, treatment, recovery attempts, and the difficult reality of loving someone through a disease that affects the entire family.From hockey rinks and family dinners to rehab centers and heartbreaking phone calls, this conversation explores the moments that shaped AJ's life, the challenges his family faced, and the lessons they've learned in the years since his passing. Chrissy shares what it was like to watch her son struggle, the hope that kept her going, and the dream that finally brought her peace.This isn't just a story about addiction. It's a story about family, resilience, grief, faith, forgiveness, and the impact one person can have long after they're gone.Today, AJ's legacy lives on through the people who loved him, the lives touched by his story, and the annual golf tournament held in his honor.❤️ In memory of AJ Berriman.

On this episode of Pondoff’s Anonymous, Angie Isam sits down for one of the most unbelievable and emotionally raw conversations the show has had yet. What starts as stories about South City chaos, partying, and addiction quickly unfolds into a childhood filled with instability, abandonment, alcoholism, kidnapping, violence, and survival.Angie opens up about growing up in a deeply dysfunctional home, her father spiraling into alcoholism, her mother disappearing for long stretches of time, and learning to survive long before she was emotionally equipped to. Along the way, she shares stories about cocaine addiction, methamphetamine, biker culture, multiple DWIs, county jail, losing custody of her daughter, and the moments that finally forced her to confront the life she was living.But underneath all the chaos is something much deeper: redemption. Angie talks about recovery, faith, treatment, rebuilding relationships, and how her own lived experience eventually led her to helping others as Director of Admissions at Illinois Recovery Center — becoming the exact kind of person she once needed herself.