Rebuilding Me : Life in Recovery is Powerful and Inspiring
Powerful, practical and inspiring insights of a life in Recovery
On September 28th, 2024, at the age of 76 and with 43 years of sobriety, I took on a new challenge: skydiving from 15,000 feet. That leap wasn’t just a personal triumph; it was a way to give back, supporting a cancer charity while proving that life in recovery is not only possible but extraordinary. Recovery has given me the strength to live fully, take on challenges, and inspire others.
It’s in Recovery I realize that it’s not about just having a life; it’s about truly being alive.
Plummeting down from 15,000 ft. @ 125 mph for one minute is a drop of approx. 2 miles. The grin stopped when the parachute opened and squeezed my crown jewels.
A Journey of Transformation: From Addiction and Crime to Epic Adventures and Triumph
Hello, I’m Roger Davies, and I’d like to share my journey with you; one that has taken me from the depths of addiction and crime to the peaks of extraordinary adventure, both literally and figuratively. My life has been a rollercoaster of intense highs and crushing lows, but through it all, I’ve discovered the power of resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to live fully. If you’re drawn to nonfiction books about overcoming addiction and adversity, my story and the lessons I’ve learned could offer hope and inspiration to you or someone you care about.
A Difficult Start: Crime, Addiction, and Recovery
The early chapters of my life were anything but glamorous. In fact, they were a very far cry from the adventurer you see today. I was trapped in a downward spiral of crime and addiction, immersed in a world of alcoholism that seemed inescapable. Every drink pulled me deeper into a destructive cycle, and I wasn’t living, I was barely surviving.
But everything changed on February 2nd, 1981. That’s the day I chose to fight for my life. It was a moment of clarity that sparked a decision to get clean, but the road ahead required every ounce of willpower and courage I had. It’s hard to believe that was over 40 years ago. Today, I stand proud—clean, sober, and living a life I once couldn’t have imagined. But I never forget the battles I fought to get here.
Embracing Adventure: From the North Pole to the North Atlantic
Once I got sober, a fire ignited inside me—the need to push boundaries, to challenge myself beyond the limits of my recovery and into the farthest corners of the world. This path led me to some of the most extreme and exhilarating environments on Earth.
At 62, I embarked on a 650 km trek to the North Pole. While most people at that age are settling into retirement, I was confronting one of the planet’s harshest landscapes. The cold was relentless, the journey physically and mentally punishing, but every step was a powerful reminder of how far I’d come from those dark days of addiction.
Not long after, at 68, I rowed across the North Atlantic —a test of both endurance and survival. Battling the elements at sea was no small feat, but I found strength in the same determination that had carried me through addiction.
Then, at the age of 72, I set two world records by playing Rugby on Mt. Everest. This moment was more than a personal triumph—it was a statement that age and past struggles do not define or limit what we’re capable of achieving.
Facing a New Battle: Cancer Diagnosis
On September 29th, 2020, life threw me another curveball. I was diagnosed with cancer. After all I’d been through, this was a battle I never anticipated; this time, against my own body.
Cancer and Chemotherapy : a Powerful Journey to Recovery
Chemotherapy was brutal, as anyone who’s experienced it knows. But I approached it like every challenge I had faced before: with grit and resolve. I treated cancer the same way I’d treated my addiction and the North Pole’s biting cold—with the will to survive and thrive.
Adventures Continue: Kayaking Across the English Channel
Even after my cancer diagnosis and enduring the toll of chemotherapy, I wasn’t ready to slow down. On August 3rd, 2021, I kayaked across the English Channel to France. Just two months later, on October 13th, I kayaked back. These journeys were more than physical achievements—they symbolized my unwavering determination to live life on my terms, no matter the obstacles I faced.
Proving Life in Recovery is Powerful and Inspiring
On September 28th, 2024, at the age of 76 and with 43 years of being clean and sober, I took the leap of a lifetime – skydiving from 15,000 feet. This thrilling experience was not only a personal triumph, but also a way to support a cancer charity, demonstrating that life in recovery is not just possible, but truly incredible.
Recovery has given me the strength and courage to take on challenges I never thought possible, and this jump symbolizes the heights we can all reach when we commit to positive change. It’s never too late to live fully, give back, and inspire others.
How Helping Others Fuels My Recovery
Supporting others on their recovery journeys has been incredibly rewarding for me. By sharing my experiences and offering support, I deepen my commitment to my own recovery and uncover a stronger sense of purpose.
Listen with empathy…Connecting with others facing similar challenges creates a strong sense of community, reminding me that we’re all in this together. Guiding others not only aids their recovery but strengthens mine as well, making our path forward a shared endeavor. Helping others has become an integral part of my healing process, enriching our collective journey.
I’m on a journey of recovery, a little broken and a little shattered inside. But I’m not alone, each of us is longing for a life filled with joy. None of us are a stranger to pain and we’ve all suffered in our own ways. I believe our shared path is about healing both ourselves and one another. Let’s gather our scattered pieces, help each other mend, and move forward with kindness and resilience. Together, we can survive and thrive side by side & shoulder to shoulder.
Why I Wrote “Live a Life to Die For”.
If you’re searching for nonfiction books about addiction, “Live a Life to Die For” offers more than just a story of recovery. It’s about what comes after recovery the search for meaning, joy, and adventure in a life that once seemed destined for destruction.
I wrote this book because I believe my story can show others that it’s possible to Recover; turn your life around and achieve the extraordinary. Whether you’re grappling with addiction, navigating a health crisis, or simply seeking inspiration, I hope my journey serves as a beacon of hope. No obstacle is too great to overcome.
How You Can Support My Journey
If my story resonates with you, I invite you to pick up a copy of Live a Life to Die For, available on my website [Here]. By purchasing the book, not only are you supporting my journey, but you’re also giving yourself or someone you love the gift of hope, inspiration, and the belief that anything is possible.
Each of us has the potential for greatness, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve faced. All it takes is the belief in ourselves and the courage to take that first step. Thank you for reading my story, and I hope it inspires you to live a life truly worth living.
“Recovery is Inspirational, and Inspiration is Contagious”
Inspiration is Contagious It captures the transformative power of personal growth and resilience!
When someone perseveres through a journey of recovery, be it from illness, addiction, trauma, or any uphill struggle, their determination radiates far beyond themselves.
That spark becomes a subtle ripple, prompting the rest of us to seek our own healing, self-improvement, and new beginnings.
It’s a powerful reminder that one individual’s courage can create a chain reaction of hope and motivation, fostering a supportive community where we all lift one another. It reinforces the truth that none of us stands alone on our path.
My recent experience at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games was nothing short of awe-inspiring. For ten days, I witnessed exceptional athletic performances that left me profoundly moved. But it wasn’t just about celebrating the medallists; it was the sheer commitment and determination of every single athlete that struck me. Watching these athletes overcome their challenges has forever shifted my perspective, especially as I reflect on my own journey with cancer, which is now thankfully in remission.
The resilience and grit displayed by the Paralympians resonate deeply with me.
As a boy growing up in the 1950s, I remember a surgeon standing by my hospital bed, telling my father, “Elwyn, your boy may never be able to enjoy physical activities.”
The idea of being a Crippled?…… No chance!
I rejected that notion. I worked hard to prove that I could live beyond the limit’s others placed on me. Looking back now, I think of all the incredible experiences I would’ve missed had I accepted that doctor’s prognosis.
Life has been anything but predictable—a series of highs, lows, and battles I never anticipated. From a violent and criminal past, I transformed into an entrepreneur, adventurer, and, as some would say, an eccentric. At 71, I found myself on Mt. Everest, playing in the two highest rugby games ever recorded—a far cry from what anyone would have expected of me as a child.
But it wasn’t just one moment that defined my journey. I’ve faced personal demons, alcoholism, and darkness, evolving through these battles to find purpose. I’ve lived for extraordinary experiences, whether it was hauling a pulk 650km across the frozen Arctic to the North Pole, enduring the Himalayas’ altitude challenges, or braving the Sahara’s heat. And then there were the extreme rowing challenges, including a brutal and ultimately tragic attempt to break the world record by rowing across the unforgiving North Atlantic in what’s often called the World’s Toughest Rowing Race.
Through it all, I’ve faced each challenge with humour, commitment, and an unrelenting enthusiasm for life. None of it would’ve been possible without staying clean and sober, one day at a time, since February 2nd, 1981.
Watching the Paralympians this summer (2024) felt like looking into a mirror. Their determination to rise above expectations reminded me of my own journey.
Just as I’ve pushed my limits, so do they, each time they compete.
Their resilience reignited my own Mindset, reminding me that no matter the odds, we must keep moving forward. Failure, for me, is only in not trying. Now, as I navigate life in remission, the inspirations I’ve drawn from these athletes strengthens my resolve to keep pushing, keep adventuring, and keep defying expectations. Their resilience is contagious, and I hope my story might inspire others in the same way.
My Journey through Addiction, Cancer and Adventures: Is a Story of Resilience
Life’s journey is unpredictable, filled with twist and turns. My path has been marked by extreme highs and devastating lows, a chaotic dance between addiction’s darkness and the freedom of adventure.
At times, I was trapped in my own mind, shackled by the powerful grip of addiction and 40 years later the big C…cancer.
I’ve discovered that building strong social connections with a group or community has been incredibly powerful and deeply trans formative. These relationships have not only fueled my personal growth but have also created a network of mutual strength and resilience that has been essential to my recovery.