Podcast Summary: 2 Addicts & A Moron

Episode 73: From Addiction To Entrepreneur: Tyler Walker
Release Date: October 9, 2025
Guests: Tyler Walker
Hosts: Mike "Stu Boy" O'Brien (A), Joey "The Moron" (C)

Overview

This episode features Tyler Walker, a recovering addict who transformed his life from decades of methamphetamine addiction, homelessness, and criminal activity to becoming a successful entrepreneur, husband, and father. The discussion is raw, honest, and at times, darkly humorous, tracing Tyler’s journey through addiction, the chaos it bred, his path through treatment and recovery, and ultimately, his current life of purpose supporting others in recovery through business, family, and service.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Addiction & Downward Spiral

• Tyler openly recounts starting drug use young: weed and pills at 12, then meth—his “first love”—by 16, which he injected until age 33 ([03:24]).
• Meth use quickly escalated his life into chaos, addictive patterns, and severe loss of control, epitomized by trades of valuables (his grandpa's gun) for drugs, the isolation and lying, and extreme physical and mental consequences.
• Notable quote:

  "Meth is the one thing that I will choose over anything in my life." – Tyler, [03:15]

2. Effects of Meth Use

• Describes classic “tweaker” behaviors: constant unfinished projects, obsessive collecting (cords, electronics), and paranoid surveillance (cameras everywhere) ([10:01]).
• The hosts and Tyler commiserate on never finishing what you start, a universal experience among heavy meth users.
• Paranoia, shadow people—hallucinations resulting from sleeplessness and meth-induced psychosis—become frequent.
• Notable exchange:

  "Shadow people are a real thing." – Tyler, [22:05]
  "I named them." – Joey, [22:29]

3. Functional Addict & Oil Field Years

• Tyler functioned highly for years, working in the oil fields, driving trucks, making great money while maintaining drug use ([14:08]).
• Despite outward stability, internally he was spiraling, spending recklessly, never saving, and eventually losing everything as addiction and economic downturns converged.

4. Progression of Addiction and Legal Troubles

• After his oilfield job collapsed, addiction intensified: lost vehicles/homes, criminal behavior, joining a motorcycle club, dealing drugs and guns, and eventually homelessness ([38:54], [48:54]).
• Tyler reflects on the "acceptance" that drugs, dealing, and certain communities gave him—a recurring theme throughout recovery stories.
• Notable quote:

  “I always wanted to be accepted and loved and cared about. Once I started slinging weed, that was like a whole different gamechanger... Captain Popular.” – Tyler, [27:54]

5. Family Dynamics & the Role of Childhood

• Childhood trauma and absence of his father were major contributors to his vulnerability.

  "I didn't have a dad growing up…was always seeking acceptance. I've always been a big kid… I always wanted to fit in." – Tyler, [25:08]

• His mother's own addiction culminated in an unhealthy bond over drugs.

6. Attempts at Recovery & Relapse

• Multiple attempts at quitting—including a dramatic self-detox from heroin in a basement—failed, as did his first 35-day treatment stint ([44:59], [55:29]).
• Humorous but telling anecdotes illustrate the insanity of active addiction: using used needles from a bottle of urine, shooting up with toilet water or Mountain Dew ([56:59] - [58:12]).
• Notable quote:

  "That's that obsession piece. I will go to any lengths to get high." – Tyler, [58:21]

7. Hitting Bottom and the Turning Point

• Ultimately, homelessness, a toxic relationship, and a moment of utter defeat in a McDonald's parking lot, high and desperate, led to Tyler accepting help ([75:20]).
• He finally worked the 12 steps, got a sponsor, found faith ("me and God have always had this problem"), and started rebuilding his life from the ground up ([79:19]).

8. Building a New Life: Family, Service, and Business

• Tyler's recovery is grounded in routine—early meetings, attending church, prayer, and service.
• He remarried (to Amanda), gained back his relationship with his son, and together with Amanda runs several recovery-focused enterprises:
  • Outcast Ministries ([88:31])
  • Away Out Recovery Homes
  • Real estate business and staging company
• Notable quote:

  "God didn’t save us for us to sit it out. He saved us so we could share it on." – Joey quoting a church message, [98:44]

9. Fatherhood: Contrasts Before & After Recovery

• Pre-sobriety, Tyler equated parenting to financial provision and gifting; post-recovery, he values presence, accountability, and leadership in his son’s life.
• Emphasizes community support and mentorship—as a dad, and for his son through NJROTC and a strong sober network ([114:41]).

10. Working the Steps in All Areas

• Recovery is more than abstinence—a journey of continual self-improvement, including finances, relationships, and emotional health ([102:58]).
• Humorous but insightful look at the challenge of applying the 12 steps to financial habits ([104:45]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Meth’s Allure:

  "First time I did meth, it was like, oh my God, this is the best stuff in the world. I can stay up forever, I have the most confidence I've ever had in my entire life." – Tyler, [04:32]

• On Tweaker Stereotypes:

  "If you have furniture outside that used to be in your living room, probably meth…if you have a bunch of electronics taken apart…why would I even watch this?" – Joey, [13:03]

• On Acceptance:

  "I always wanted to be accepted and loved and cared about. And, you know, once I started slinging weed, that was like a whole different gamechanger too." – Tyler, [27:54]

• On Relapse Drives:

  "I told myself I was never going to be homeless again when I moved out to Texas...First thing I did is go buy this RV..." – Tyler, [10:01]

• On Making Amends:

  "My number one offender on my resentment? My dad and my mom…That was the thing, I'd been judging this guy for all this stuff and not knowing his side." – Tyler, [119:16]

• On Recovery and Responsibility:

  "Being a present father is like, dude, it's a lot...I would not—there's no way I'd be able to do it without Amanda." – Tyler, [112:18]

• Dark Humor:

  "Any tweaker that's out there, pees in bottles. I don't know why the f*** we pee in bottles." – Tyler, [56:59]

Important Timestamps

• [03:15] – Tyler names meth as his “first love”
• [07:04] – First time shooting meth story (medical emergency)
• [10:00] – Tweaker projects and the “RV of projects”
• [22:05] – Discussion of shadow people and psychosis
• [25:08] – Role of childhood acceptance, father’s absence
• [44:59] – Hitting bottom: heroin self-detox and near-death
• [55:29] – First go at treatment; relapse to shooting up with urine-bottle needles
• [75:20] – Accepts sponsor's help, pivotal moment for real recovery
• [88:31] – On founding Outcast Ministries and sober living businesses
• [112:18] – On fatherhood in recovery and reliance on his wife Amanda
• [119:16] – Making amends to his absent father

Segment Highlights & Structure

“Tweaker Tales & Humor” ([08:03]–[13:58])

• Wildly honest, funny recounting of “tweaker” life, project obsession, paranoia, and self-destructive patterns.

“What Drives Us to Use?” ([25:08]–[34:55])

• Deep dive into childhood wounds, need for acceptance, parental relationships and how they act as root causes for substance abuse.

“Functional Addict to Criminal Descent” ([38:54]–[53:38])

• Functioning in high-stress, high-paying jobs while using, the lure of criminal lifestyle and loss of any normal relationships.

“Treatment, Relapse, and True Surrender” ([55:29]–[80:27])

• First treatment, relapse, insanity of addiction, and eventual acceptance of help and spirituality through 12-step work.

“Recovery, Entrepreneurship, and Family” ([88:31]–[98:44])

• Using strengths from addiction (resourcefulness, grit) in recovery and entrepreneurship.
• Tyler’s business endeavors and life with his wife Amanda.

“Parenting: Brokenness and Breakthrough” ([110:25]–[117:12])

• Contrasts between old and new parenting—what real fatherhood means in recovery, and why it’s an ongoing learning experience.

“Legacy, Service, and Loss” ([129:01]–[130:52])

• Remembrance of friend Alan Luckett, who died sober.
• Reflection on the reality that not all in recovery make it, but some do reach a peaceful end.
• Notable quote:

  "We lose a lot of people, and he's the first person I've lost in recovery that made it to the finish line." – Joey, [129:20]

Closing

The episode ends with gratitude, encouragement for others to reach out for help, reminders about upcoming recovery events (“Serenity Under the Stars", [125:26]), and a heartfelt message about the importance of community both in and outside of recovery. Tyler’s story showcases the depths of addiction and, more importantly, the potential for redemption, meaning, and service.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the message is clear: There is hope, and there are people waiting to help.