God Still Hears an Addict’s Prayer – From the Streets to a PhD

In this episode of The Living Clean Podcast, we’re joined by a powerful voice in recovery whose story is featured in the Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text. Growing up in an inner-city environment shaped by crime, addiction, and spiritual disconnection, our guest found himself chasing the acceptance and toughness of the street life—despite being surrounded by examples of success within his own family. Heroin quickly became his solution, and addiction took him down a long road of pain, isolation, and near-death experiences.After hitting bottom and uttering the simple prayer, “Please, God, help me,” he found himself at his first NA meeting. That moment marked the beginning of a remarkable transformation. With the support of the fellowship, the Twelve Steps, and a growing relationship with his Higher Power, he rebuilt his life from the ground up. He earned a GED in his thirties, overcame barriers of age and race in academia, graduated college with honors, and went on to earn a master’s in social work. Today, he’s pursuing a PhD, runs a recovery-based nonprofit he founded, and continues to carry the message of hope to others.This conversation explores the spiritual awakening that emerged through service, the struggle to find belonging as a Black man in both NA and academia, and the power of personal surrender. With humility, depth, and contagious gratitude, our guest reminds us that God still hears an addict’s prayer—and that it’s never too late to become who we were meant to be.