How I Beat Cancer...and then Became a Crackhead

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Gary King for a wild and emotional journey through addiction, survival, recovery, and second chances. Gary's story begins with a difficult childhood before he dropped out of high school and moved to Nashville looking for a new start. Instead, he found himself pulled deeper into a world of substance abuse. What started with cocaine quickly escalated into Xanax, prescription opioids, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Along the way, Gary found himself living a life few could imagine. He shares stories of stealing nitrous oxide tanks, supplying drugs at major music festivals, and navigating the chaos of addiction while convincing himself he still had control. But addiction had other plans. Everything changed when Gary began experiencing severe health issues and discovered he had cancer. He underwent an 18-hour surgery that saved his life, but the pain management that followed would introduce him to powerful prescription opioids, setting the stage for years of addiction to Percocet, OxyContin, Opana, Xanax, and more. As the drugs intensified, so did the consequences. Gary opens up about waking up in hospitals after Xanax blackouts, finding a friend dead after a night of drug use, and eventually progressing from snorting methamphetamine to injecting meth and heroin. He shares the devastating impact addiction had on his family, including the heartbreaking moment he had to tell his daughter he was leaving to seek treatment. This episode is a raw and honest look at the destruction caused by addiction, the reality of withdrawal and recovery, and the hope that exists on the other side. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Title of First Chapter 08:00 Dropping Out of High School & Moving to Nashville 10:00 C0caine Addiction Escalates & Discovering X4nax 11:30 Stealing Nitrous Oxide & Supplying Bonnaroo in 2006 16:30 Throwing Up Blood, Cancer Diagnosis & an 18-Hour Surgery 19:00 The Beginning of a Percocet Addiction 22:00 Being Prescribed Oxy 40s & Oxy 80s 27:00 Becoming a Cr4ck Addict 28:30 Walmart Hustles & Feeding the Addiction 31:30 Opanas, Opiates & Doctor Prescriptions Gone Wrong 33:15 X4nax Ruined My Life: Waking Up in a Hospital 2 Days Later 38:00 Detoxing in Nashville 42:45 Finding a Friend Dead After a Night of Xanax & Opanas 47:00 From Snorting Meth to Shooting Meth & Heroin 52:00 Telling My Daughter I Was Leaving for Recovery 54:00 The Brutal Reality of Detox 1:02:00 Advice for Anyone Struggling With Addiction 1:05:00 Closing Thoughts 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below! Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippod... For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: [email protected] 👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments. #getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives