I drank, smoked and did cocaine every single day since 8th grade.

March 22, 2021 Michael Ferrer

You can hear the podcast: dismantled.life

What’s your name and drug of choice?

Anthony Capozzoli : Alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine.

What’s your sobriety date?

April 27, 2018 : clean and sober from alcohol, cocaine and nicotine

Very proud to share that by the grace of God and very hard work I am sober. I work hard everyday to keep the demons at bay and put me in a winning place.

Tell us about yourself:

I grew up in Chicago with an alcoholic father. I learned very early on from his playbook and made it my own. By 8th grade I was drinking to blackouts every weekend.
I work in technology sales
I also podcast every week on my podcast Dismantled Life to share the joy of living in sobriety to help other find, stay, or get back on the path to sobriety. I started the show to help others, but I think the show and working with the sober superhero guests has done more for me.

Describe your experience as an addict.

I drank, smoked and did cocaine every single day since 8th grade. My life was a daily train wreck filled with blaming others, lies, deceit, and unmanageable chaos. I was so absolutely absorbed in my selfishness and pain that I had no time for anyone or anything else, but chasing my very bad habits.

When did you realize your life had become unmanageable?

On April 27, 2018 I landed in the hospital with a terrible infection of unknown causes. The doctors told me I wasn’t going to make it and to get my life in order for my wife and kids that I would leave behind. By the grace of God I made it out alive after 11-days in the hospital, two surgeries, and nearly losing my arm to amputation.

What did your recovery look like?

I didn’t know what to do when I got home to continue my 11-days of sobriety. I just started walking everyday for 1.5 miles per day. This was a huge accomplishment since I was 40-pounds overweight and couldn’t walk 5-minutes without wheezing, and nearing collapse. I pushed and pushed. Every morning I woke at 5:00 AM and walked 1.5 miles. After about a month I added a second walk in the afternoon of 1.5 miles, then a third walk a day. I found I was walking 5 to 6-miles per day. I added a 5-mile bike ride each day. After a few months I added boxing. Boxing changed everything for me. I went from trying to recover to happily being in recovery. Everything shifted for me. I read books to help change my life, I listened to podcasts to change my life. I watched powerful motivational videos. I lived in the joy of my recovery. I lost 35 pounds, I’m in the best shape of my life, I alcohol, cocaine, and smoke free. I broke the patterns I learned early in life. We moved to TN to hit the reset button a second time to start fresh and continue my service to others.

How are you doing these days?

I am the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. Every day is a gift that goes unsquandered.

What do you do to maintain sobriety?

Walking, biking, boxing, podcasting, reading, and my loving, supportive, and wonderful family

What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for everyday. I should have died in the hospital and by God’s grace I survived. I spend everyday in the joy of sobriety, simple living, healthy living, owning every choice, no secrets, no hidden truths, no self-inflicted trauma, and not blaming anyone for anything that happens to me in my life.

Any advice you would give to newly sober folks?

Find your positive routine and protect your sobriety ferociously. Don’t let anyone minimize that you’re a sober superhero. Your super power is getting and staying sober. Be of service to others often, be proud to be who you are as the new sober you.