Episode 36: Eli—From Rock Bottom to Building a Sober Life That Works

Eli has two and a half years sober, but his journey here wasn’t straightforward. We first met him at the second Camp Sober Fest back in Big Bear, when he decided to show up on his birthday without knowing a single person. To get outside of himself, he volunteered as the videographer—giving him a purpose and a way to connect.

Before that, Eli had tried to get sober a few times, but never in residential treatment. He went to outpatient programs mostly to please his family, stayed sober for a while, and always relapsed—harder each time. His final drunk was the breaking point: hysterically crying, naked in the shower, talking to himself until both his parents walked in. Within an hour, they got him into treatment. Day one, he hit a low he’ll never forget—shitting his pants—and ever since, he’s donated clothes to that same program.

At first, Eli planned to stay 30 days. But as that milestone crept up, he just kept listening to people with more time than him—and chose to stick it out. From treatment he went into sober living, and then into a new way of life. His path hasn’t looked traditional: instead of going through the book, he worked the steps with a workbook; instead of leaning on meetings, he found his people at Camp Sober Fest. What matters most is that he finally accepted what it means to be an alcoholic when someone explained it simply—he could get addicted to anything. Looking back, he saw that pattern had been there his whole life.

Today, Eli runs his own business, stays connected to his sober family, and has aspirations and goals he chases because of sobriety. His story proves there’s no one right way to do this—as long as you keep showing up, keep saying yes, and keep building a life worth staying sober for.

🎧 Listen in for a conversation that’s raw, funny, and a reminder that recovery doesn’t have to look perfect—it just has to work.