2 | The Ties That Bind Us

Summary

Crook County Episode 2: The Ties That Bind Us – Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: Crook County
• Host/Author: Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts
• Description: Crook County delves into the clandestine life of Ken Tekiela, a respected Chicago firefighter and devoted father who secretly served as a hitman for the Chicago mafia. Through personal narratives and in-depth exploration, the podcast unveils the profound impact of Ken's double life on his family.

---

Introduction

In Episode 2, titled "The Ties That Bind Us," host Kyle Tekiela continues his harrowing journey into uncovering his father's hidden criminal life. This episode focuses on the complexities of family bonds, the dichotomy between a loving home environment and a life steeped in organized crime, and the enduring scars left on his family.

---

Family Background and Childhood Memories

[04:13] Kyle Tekiela:
"For my father, family meant something else entirely. On one hand, it was his wife who loved him, his two young boys who idolized him... On the other hand, family meant something far more sinister."

Kyle reminisces about his seemingly idyllic childhood, portraying his father Ken as a hero—a firefighter and paramedic who provided a stable and loving home. He shares vivid memories of family activities, sports, and the close-knit suburban life that painted Ken as the quintessential blue-collar dad.

Quotes Highlighting Family Life:

• Holly Tequila (Mother):
  "I worked part-time. Ken worked as a firefighter, paramedic, and would have a second job, you know, just to make ends meet. But it was, you know, my perfect little life."
  [08:08]

• Kyle Tekiela:
  "We never knew about my father's second family. We were happy, and I always felt lucky to be a part of this family."
  [06:30]

---

Discovery of Ken's Double Life

The episode takes a poignant turn as Kyle visits his mother, Holly, after years of estrangement. The family home, filled with old photographs and VHS tapes, becomes a repository of both cherished memories and hidden truths.

[16:03] Kyle Tekiela:
"My whole life was one basket with socks and underwear in it. That's all I ever got."
Kyle reflects on the disparity between his happy childhood memories and the grim reality he now understands about his father's secret life.

Holly Tequila's Revelation: [28:34]
"I didn't know he was in the Mob until maybe 20 years after you guys were born."
She recounts the moment she discovered Ken's addiction and the subsequent unraveling of their family life, marked by violence and deception.

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Impact on the Family

Corey Tequila (Brother):
Corey shares traumatic experiences witnessing his father's violent outbursts and drug addiction. His vivid descriptions highlight the physical and emotional turmoil endured by the family.

Notable Quotes:

• Corey Tequila:
  "He's shooting heroin and he's cooking heroin on our goddamn soup spoons... Dad and I are actually fist fighting each other right now... It's fucking horrible, man."
  [31:21]

• Holly Tequila:
  "Ken alienated his family. He alienated his friends. He alienated his job. It destroyed our life."
  [28:54]

The family's struggle with Ken's addiction is depicted through heartbreaking accounts of domestic abuse, financial strain, and the erosion of trust and safety within the household.

---

Personal Struggles and Reflections

Kyle delves into his own emotional journey, grappling with the duality of his father's persona. He reflects on the discrepancies between the Ken he admired and the reality of his father's criminal activities.

[25:00] Kyle Tekiela:
"But now, looking back, knowing what I know, there were in fact signs of a darker side, cracks in his veneer."

He narrates pivotal moments, such as discovering evidence of his father's drug use and the violent confrontations that shattered his perception of Ken. These revelations force Kyle to reconcile his cherished memories with the painful truths about his father.

Corey Tequila’s Emotional Struggle: [35:13]
"I carry it every fucking day. Absolutely... It’s so hard... It will never go away."

Corey discusses the lasting psychological impact of his father's actions, expressing deep-seated anger, confusion, and unresolved emotions that continue to haunt him.

---

Climactic Confrontations and Aftermath

The episode crescendos with Kyle recounting the tragic deterioration of his father's mental and physical state. A heartbreaking phone call in 2013 marks the final chapter of Ken's struggle, leading to a poignant farewell.

[37:26] Holly Tequila:
"My dad either got clean or died trying."

Kyle describes the emotional scene of dropping his father off at rehab, illustrating the futility of their attempts to save Ken from his own demons.

[38:10] Kyle Tekiela:
"When I picked him up from the airport, I barely recognized him. I was stunned. I felt like throwing up."

This moment underscores the complete transformation of Ken, from a beloved father to a shadow of his former self, consumed by addiction and crime.

---

Conclusion and Forward Look

As the episode draws to a close, Kyle reflects on the enduring pain and the fragile nature of family ties bound by secrets and lies. He hints at the ongoing quest for truth and the steps he must take to fully understand his father's legacy.

[39:17] Kyle Tekiela:
"I have this old memory of my dad dropping me off my first day at college... It's time I learn the truth."

The episode concludes with anticipation for the next installment, promising deeper insights into the unraveling of Ken's double life and its repercussions on the Tekiela family.

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Key Takeaways and Insights

• Duality of Identity: The episode masterfully explores the contrast between Ken's public persona and his clandestine activities, highlighting how individuals can harbor vastly different lives unbeknownst to their closest family members.

• Impact of Addiction: Ken's struggle with heroin addiction serves as a central theme, illustrating its destructive power not only on the individual but also on the entire family structure.

• Family Dynamics: The narrative delves into the complexities of familial love intertwined with fear, betrayal, and the arduous path to forgiveness and understanding.

• Resilience and Recovery: Despite the immense trauma, both Kyle and Corey exhibit resilience, striving to rebuild their lives while grappling with their past.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Kyle Tekiela:
  "I wanted them to have a good life. How do you keep an entire life of crime away from your friends, away from your family?"
  [02:04]

• Corey Tequila:
  "It's fucking horrible, man. I do mask it very well. And I try to forget all the time about everything, but it's... It will never go away."
  [35:17]

• Holly Tequila:
  "I’m still trying to understand to this day why this happened. Why he forfeited a great life and relationship with his children."
  [38:36]

---

Final Thoughts

Episode 2 of Crook County is a poignant exploration of the tangled web of family loyalty, secrecy, and the devastating effects of a life of crime. Through heartfelt narratives and emotional testimonies, Kyle Tekiela paints a vivid picture of his family's struggle to reconcile the man they loved with the criminal he became. As the series progresses, listeners are invited to delve deeper into the shadows of Crook County, uncovering more about Ken Tekiela's rise within the Chicago Outfit and the lasting legacy of his actions on his family.

Transcript

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[Kyle Tequila]

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[Kyle Tequila]

Easy.

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[Kyle Tequila]

Is released weekly and brought to you absolutely free. But if you want to hear the whole season right now it's available ad free on Tenderfoot Plus. For more information, check out the Show Notes. Enjoy the episode. You're listening to Crook County. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals participating in the podcast. This episode also contains subject matter including graphic depictions of violence, which may not be suitable for everyone. Listener discretion is advised. Previously on Crook County. I got recruited into the mob when I was 17 years old. Meet Kenny the Kid Tequila. I became a trusted member. I ran whorehouses and I did hits an enforcer for the Chicago outf. I wanted him to know I meant fucking business here. So I beat him, put the gun back up to his forehead. And three of my boys come in. He lived a secret double life for over 20 years. I had a wife and I had two children. Nobody knew anything. I didn't want anybody to know. I was kind of embarrassed. And I wanted to keep them as far away from it as possible. I wanted them to have a good life. How do you keep an entire life of crime away from your friends, away from your family? It seems impossible, but I know it's true. Because Kevin Kenny is my father. And I had no idea about any of this. Until now. My name is Kyle Tequila. Welcome to Crook County Trust. By the way, I'm tired. I see. Cause I'm living a lie Lost in the waves Lost in the wa.

[Holly Tequila]

I didn't know he was in the Mob until maybe 20 years after you guys were born.

[Corey Tequila]

He was a fucking crazy bastard, and that type of lifestyle fits him.

[Kyle Tequila]

You cannot control this. It is the devil. It lays in wait for you and it will take you out at your weakest moment. Episode 2 the Ties that Bind Us family. Has there ever been a more loaded word? To some, family means unconditional love. It means security and support, tradition, values, acceptance, joy, and spending the holidays together. It's the very foundation upon which you are built. To some people, family means everything. But to many others, family is just another four letter word filled with pain, grief and discontent. Family is something you need to escape from, to shun, to forget. For my father, family meant something else entirely. On one hand, it was his wife who loved him, his two young boys who idolized him. It meant breaking the chain of an abusive childhood and starting over to create something new, something pure, something good. But on the other hand, family meant something far more sinister. His mafia family took him in when he was just 17, alone in the streets of Chicago. It gave him a job and a support system. It took away the anxieties of running away from home with no money and filled that emptiness with purpose. Even if that purpose was criminal. Even if it meant doing things you never imagined possible. Never in a million years. And once you do them, it's already too late. You're a prisoner to that family forever. So my goal was to be a good provider. All right? So my kids had every opportunity in the world that I didn't have. And my wife could be a wife, to be a stay at home mom, to raise the family. Okay? That was my goal, all right? I didn't want anybody to know. I was. I was kind of embarrassed. And I wanted to keep them as far away from it as possible. I wanted them to have a good life, you know, raise their own families. And for the most part, he succeeded. We never knew about my father's second family. We were happy, and I always felt lucky to be a part of this family. In fact, I have almost exclusively positive memories from my first 18 years. A loving blue collar, suburban, middle class home with a Ford Explorer and a convertible Mustang occupying the driveway. My dad was a firefighter, paramedic and my mom left work to raise the kids. Both were supportive and enthusiastic parents, encouraging us to pursue our passions and follow our dreams. My younger brother Corey and I played just about every sport imaginable. So trips to play it again, sports to buy and sell our gently used equipment were routine. We didn't have all the latest toys or clothes like many of the other kids in the neighborhood, but we never really wanted for anything. Running around the neighborhood like animals, laughing, building forts, playing tag, walking for miles along the railroad tracks like the kids in Stand by me, minus the dead body. Sleepovers, paintball battles, baseball games, travel hockey, girlfriends making out in the basement, breakups, new friends, movie nights, punk shows. It was a good life. As good as any kid could ask for.

[Holly Tequila]

My kids grew up happy.

[Kyle Tequila]

That's my mom, Holly.

[Holly Tequila]

I worked part time. Ken worked as a firefighter, paramedic, and would have a second job, you know, just to make ends meet. But it was, you know, my perfect little life. I, you know, had a husband, I had two beautiful sons. We finally had a beautiful home and a nice neighborhood. We eventually made good friends with our neighbors and our kids made good friends with, you know, all the kids in the neighborhood. And, you know, it was my dream come true.

[Kyle Tequila]

We were lucky. At least that's how it felt back then. But today, things couldn't be any more different and we couldn't be any further apart. As soon as we could, my brother and I moved away from home. Me to the west coast and my brother to the east. My dad eventually moved away, too, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. And leaving my poor mom with nothing but sadness, anger and unanswered questions.

[Holly Tequila]

I don't know why I deserve this. My life ended.

[Kyle Tequila]

We'd like to welcome everyone here to Chicago, home of the Bears. Now for your continued safety and the safety of all them folks you're gonna fall on, please remain seated. With them seatbelt staff in the seat back, I flew to Chicago to visit my mom. It's been years since I've been back and I'm really not looking forward to the conversation I'm about to have with her. I don't think she's looking forward to it either. Hey.

[Holly Tequila]

Hi, Mom.

[Kyle Tequila]

How are you?

[Holly Tequila]

Hey.

[Kyle Tequila]

How are you? You look good. Thank you. You look very cuddly.

[Holly Tequila]

I am.

[Kyle Tequila]

It's a good outfit. You are cuddly. This is true. Cool.

[Holly Tequila]

Where's that?

[Kyle Tequila]

He's not allowed in here. Oh my God.

[Corey Tequila]

Hi.

[Kyle Tequila]

He's not allowed in here.

[Holly Tequila]

You know, this is a man free zone.

[Kyle Tequila]

Oh, okay. I'll just hang out. Unfortunately, I'll go back to Dunkin Donuts.

[Holly Tequila]

I'm just teasing.

[Kyle Tequila]

She lives in a small house with her friend Kathy. It's old and dated. The architecture, the furniture, like it was pulled straight from a 1970s Sears catalog.

[Holly Tequila]

The last time you saw him was the one and only time other than when he was little was at your mom's 90th. Yeah. Oh, right when she said she's who introduced me to your father. And the two of you went thanks a lot. And that's when I said you should be kissing my ass. Because if there were not a me, there would not be a you.

[Kyle Tequila]

This is very true. I hold no resentment towards you at all. Thank you very much. We head up to her room so we can talk. It's full of pictures and mementos from the old days, the good days.

[Holly Tequila]

I mean, I have tons of pictures and things and all my videotapes are in there.

[Kyle Tequila]

And in there she pulls out a small box from under her bed.

[Holly Tequila]

Oh my God. This is one of my favorites. I watched because I didn't have TV for a long time in some of my apartments, so I would watch VHS videotapes of our family. And I love this one, and I love this one. I love them all. But this is like my favorite. It's like the beginning of our normal life.

[Kyle Tequila]

We pick out an old VHS tape from our childhood and pop it in. What has he found?

[Holly Tequila]

Kite.

[Kyle Tequila]

Kite. Look around. Quarter stuff.

[Holly Tequila]

Here, Cory, that's yours.

[Kyle Tequila]

It's Easter morning, 1989. My four year old self is joyfully running around the house finding candy filled eggs and baskets. While my brother Corey, two years old at this time, is trying to keep up. My dad is behind the camera narrating. Ladies and gentlemen, here is my son Kyle. I want you boys to stand back. And my wonderful family, stand back, let me look at your faces. My beautiful wife, my two beautiful boys. And look it. See all that candy and stuff there? That's their first load. We got part two coming up. I want you to think about this. You know what I got for Easter. My whole life was one basket with socks and underwear in it. That's all I ever got. Look at my kids. Happy Easter, you guys. The image jumps to later in the day. Some family has come over to celebrate and my mom now holds the camera. There's people everywhere. She pans around to my dad, who's standing tall in the chaos.

[Holly Tequila]

Here's Ken. Oh, you're out of your Easter outfit. Where's your Easter bonnet, Ken?

[Kyle Tequila]

He's got long hair, wearing a tight white dress shirt with most of the buttons undone, and sporting a huge goofy smile on his face.

[Holly Tequila]

I'm never in the picture because his eyes taking it. So I have.

[Kyle Tequila]

That's right. So now I'm in a picture. My best side he's posing now, showing off his muscles and brimming with that unique blend of sarcasm, confidence and charm that endeared him to everyone around him. My niece just jealous. I wish you had a man like me, right? Oh God. He's 35 years old here. My age now. In those days he was my hero. And I don't just mean that figuratively. Only a few months after this home video was made, he literally saved my life. Thanks for joining me on Crook County. For ad free listening and exclusive content, dive into tenderfootplus.com right there in the show notes Tenderfoot plus is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and other podcast players. You'll unlock access to early episodes, upcoming bonus material the Tenderfoot Podcast library of over 400 A.D. free episodes as well as subscriber only specials. Subscribe [e-mail].

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[Kyle Tequila]

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[Corey Tequila]

It out.

[Kyle Tequila]

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[Holly Tequila]

You guys were little. Corey was like two, you were four going on five. Well our neighbor was a single female who had moved into the neighborhood with this big dog and an akita huge, probably 100 pound dog at least. And she had the dog for protection. She also had a cat. And one day you and me and Corey were out in the front yard just hanging out and her cat was up in our tree. So you went next door and knocked on the door and it was summertime and she just had like a screen door. The other door was open and the dog came up to the door when you were standing there and pushed open the screen door and started chasing after you and tackled you and took you down to the ground and started biting you on your head from your head all the way down to your calves and you were like 4 years old, 40 pounds and this is like 100 pound dog on top of you tearing you to shreds. I was in the front yard with you and I made this hurtling scream and thank God Ken was home that day because he was usually on 24, off 48 and he heard me scream in the front yard, and he came out running. And by the time he came out there, I'm on top of the dog, trying to get him off of you. You're bleeding everywhere, and I'm trying to pull you out of the dog's mouth, where Ken is trying to pull the dog off of your body. And in the meantime, there's puncture wounds on your legs and on your head and on your back. And Ken comes here, and, you know, I get off, and he takes the dog and he opens up the dog's mouth, like, really wide and broke the dog's jaw. And I pulled you out of the dog's mouth. Finally, the ambulance came, and they took X rays of your head. You had two depressed skull fractures from his teeth. It was scary. I thought I was going to lose you. And I just say, thank God, because if Ken wasn't there, you wouldn't be here.

[Kyle Tequila]

After several months of intensive recovery, the scare had passed, and I was becoming my old self again. So we packed up our belongings and moved to the house I would forever consider my childhood home in a small, newly constructed suburb west of Chicago. The very definition of cookie cutter. My mom puts in another tape. It's from the day we moved in. My dad is behind the camera again while a few of his buddies from the fire department are carrying in furniture and goofing off.

[Holly Tequila]

Be nice if you help instead of taking pictures.

[Kyle Tequila]

I'm gonna take pictures.

[Corey Tequila]

The beer's warm.

[Kyle Tequila]

The beer's not warm. Beer is warm. Take pictures.

[Corey Tequila]

Take pictures.

[Holly Tequila]

You don't bother us.

[Kyle Tequila]

The neighborhood was so new that none of the landscaping had been planted yet, so the entire yard was mud. Look at this yard. There's a lot of people out here admiring their mud. Our house, a little blue island in a sea of brown sludge. How about that? That's something. Hey, Kyle, stay in the dirt. You guys.

[Corey Tequila]

Growing up was great. We had a great childhood.

[Kyle Tequila]

That's my brother, Corey.

[Corey Tequila]

Dad, he would take us to the firehouse, seeing all the fire engines and playing with all the medical supplies and the paramedic truck and everything. You know, rubber gloves. That was, like, the coolest thing to, like, wear, you know, shit like that. And somebody would go on the mic, you know, and it would be an intercom throughout the whole building, and it'd be like, attention. And then, I don't know, maybe what, Mike Eckler or something like that would just let out a big rip on the microphone and just fart throughout the whole building, you know, and everybody would Crack up, you know, this is just fun.

[Kyle Tequila]

She pops in another tape. It's my fifth birthday party. There's about 20 people at some restaurant. I remember this. The kids got to make our own pizzas.

[Holly Tequila]

There's the pizza he made all by himself.

[Kyle Tequila]

Do I need to roll up your sleeves or what?

[Holly Tequila]

Yeah, roll up his sleeves because the tomato sauce is coming down.

[Kyle Tequila]

It's impossible to describe how I feel watching this video and knowing now all of the atrocious crimes my father committed in the years leading up to it. And worse, that they were still being committed. Beatings, murders, cover ups.

[Holly Tequila]

Mama, try a piece. I will. Looks so good.

[Kyle Tequila]

And then coming home to his happy little family and lying about everything.

[Holly Tequila]

Mama. No way. When we can have cake. Well, it's your pizza. One step at a time.

[Kyle Tequila]

And all of us, completely oblivious, celebrating a joyful birthday with the clear heads and hearts of a simple, average American family, when in fact, we were anything but.

[Holly Tequila]

Hold on.

[Kyle Tequila]

Where's my hand?

[Holly Tequila]

Where's the camera?

[Kyle Tequila]

It's right here, Hal. Relax, will ya? I have it in motion. Forever in motion. All right, no more stills, baby. This is the 90s, and my poor mother going to bed every night next to a man she doesn't even know. A man who has blood on his hands. The same hands that would comb through my hair the next morning before going off to work to possibly have them bloodied again. We never suspected a thing. We had no reason to. But now, looking back, knowing what I know, there were in fact signs of a darker side, cracks in his veneer.

[Corey Tequila]

I remember being 8 or 9, my dad picking me up from somewhere. I'm walking out and I see dad kind of just like nonchalantly, like, hanging out in his Ford Explorer, kind of yelling at a guy, you know, it looked like there was a confrontation going on, but he was super calm, super chill. As I'm walking closer and closer to the car, I see this big bald man screaming through the window. Well, Ken, my dad is just sitting there, and all of a sudden he fucking just headbutts this guy, knocks the guy fucking flat out. And I'm like, I don't even think I brought it up to him. Cause I think I was so stunned, like, what the hell just happened? You know, just a typical Sunday morning. Dad fucking knocking some guy out through a window in a car with his head.

[Kyle Tequila]

And then he just drove away.

[Corey Tequila]

And just like nothing happened.

[Kyle Tequila]

I've seen dad twice. The first time I was really young, but I do remember him in a fit of road rage, pulling a Guy out of his car. Like, we're behind the car because he, you know, he was in front of us pulling the guy out of his driver's side door, dragging him to, like, the back. So now I have, like, a perfect view of the crime and just pounding a guy and then leaving him just basically knocked out. Or, like, half. Half aware. And then getting back in the car and then, like, you know, doing a little swerve, drive around, and then continuing on with. With the day. That was the first time I remember seeing that. And I was so young, it almost felt like a dream. But then I think it was seventh grade. And I remember in, like, one of my English classes or something, we were doing, like, a project. You know, you, like, create a scene. Like a shoebox scene.

[Corey Tequila]

You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kyle Tequila]

And I remember it was sitting in my lap because I was up all night working on it. And we're driving to school, and some guy cuts Ken off.

[Corey Tequila]

Road rage.

[Kyle Tequila]

And he chases this dude past the school. Like, we go on a chase. I'm screaming a hunt. And finally we catch the guy at a red light. And he goes and punches the guy several times through his driver's side window. Then gets back in the car, does a U turn, drops me off at school. And, like, what do you do? You know, like, you just. You can't. There's nothing to say.

[Corey Tequila]

There's nothing.

[Kyle Tequila]

There's nothing to do. You just, like, kind of walk like a zombie through the rest of the day going, is that a real thing that just happened? When things are going well, it's hard to believe they could ever go wrong. And just because my father showed a few flashes of violence or said a few questionable things doesn't mean there's something sinister or terrible lurking behind the curtain. Besides, he was never violent with any of us. Life is complex and emotional, and it's human nature to see the best in people. But a lie this big can't stay hidden forever. Somehow, someway, it will turn on you and force its way out.

[Holly Tequila]

One day, I'm cooking dinner in the kitchen, and I hear a commotion in the garage. So I open up the door to the garage, and there's Ken's brother. And he said, holly, Ken needs to go to rehab. And I said, what? What are you talking about? And he says, ken is addicted to heroin. And I was floored. I mean, I just couldn't believe it. And I was so much in denial. So that night, I took Ken to rehab, and they admitted him right away. You know, Ken went back and forth to rehab. But the heroin took over and he just kept doing it. And I kept finding paraphernalia in the house, and his arms were always bruised, and I would find blood splats on the ceiling. And he was so bad where he was going crazy. Like, he would scream at me. He would come at me. He looked like he was possessed. He'd be rolling on the floor screaming like he looked like he was a possessed devil. And I was scared to death. He would come at me many times and he would push me or. And I didn't take it, I would push him back. And when I pushed him back, you know, I would either get hit or pushed against the wall or something. I had to sleep in my car or I would sleep at the bottom of the stairs. So I had an easy escape because he was so crazy, trying to wean off the drug. That's all he cared about. He alienated his family. He alienated his friends. He alienated his job. It destroyed our life. It destroyed our marriage. It destroyed my kids. It destroyed friendships. It destroyed everything. It really destroyed everything.

[Kyle Tequila]

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[Corey Tequila]

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[Kyle Tequila]

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[Corey Tequila]

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[Kyle Tequila]

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[Holly Tequila]

She conditioned them to be monsters. She was telling people the Bible says she must go and kill, but actually, she was taking revenge.

[Corey Tequila]

We are all so horrified by the.

[Kyle Tequila]

Idea that a mother would sully her.

[Corey Tequila]

Daughter in this way.

[Kyle Tequila]

Listen to Queen Havoc and her murder cult on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Kyle Tequila]

Visit CheapCaribbean.com during those 10 years of addiction, I had already left home and started my own life in Atlanta, where I met my wife, Nicole. We got married in 2009, and my wedding was the last time that the four of us were together in the same room. I did know my dad was struggling with addiction, and I knew that my mom was taking him to treatment and assisting in his recovery. But I never knew just how bad it really was. And to be honest, during those first few years, there were so many fights and so much drama between us all with them becoming the kids and me feeling like the parent that I stepped away from them. I had never felt this kind of emotional pain before, and I didn't know how to deal with it. So I ignored it. And I hoped it would get better. I focused all my energy on building a new family with Nicole. My brother, however, wasn't so lucky. He was still living at home, watching everything he knew crumble around him.

[Corey Tequila]

Unfortunately for me, I was there when all this went down. I first noticed that dad was on drugs when I was 16 years old. I rummaged through dad's personal shit in his car to find a couple bucks. When I opened the glove box, I saw a large freezer bag. And of course, being 16, I looked into it, seeing what the fuck it was. Smoking pot. I figured it would be like some pot or something, you know, take a nug out, you know, not towel. But that wasn't the case. When I opened the bag, there was a bunch of little tin foil squares that I had no idea what the fuck it was. But then I saw a syringe and our fucking soup spoon from our kitchen. It was a yellow handle and a lighter. And I go, what the fuck? I mean, I'm no dummy, but I'm thinking to myself, what the fuck's going on here? Like, he's fucking. He's shooting heroin and he's cooking fucking heroin on our fucking goddamn soup spoons. I was so confused. And so I just didn't know what was going on. There's one incident that I remember like it was yesterday. I'm 21 at this time. I needed to come home for a little bit and save up some money so I could get back out. I just needed. I needed. I needed my family for a minute, you know what I mean? But I see him on the couch watching the fucking History Channel, of course, always watching the History Channel. War, war. War is eating fucking yo play yogurt or some shit, I don't know. And what really got me is that he was really zonked out. But the spoon, the image of him eating it with a spoon brought me back to when I first remembered seeing the spoon next to a bunch of heroin and needles. So I got furious. I walked up to him, I slapped the yogurt out of his hand and I. I go, you, dad, you're useless. That started which would be the most intense fight I've ever had with my father. He stood up, I pushed him. He fell back down on the couch. He got back up and he clock. I got hazy and dizzy. But me, I'm a savage. I attack him. I don't. I don't stop attacking him. We're on the floor, we're beating the out of each other. Blood's flying everywhere. Fists are flying everywhere. We end up in the kitchen where we slam into the cupboards and the cabinets, drawers. I remember ripping out a drawer and trying to fucking hit him with it. He knocked it out of my hands. He pushed me back into the. Into the refrigerator. And I don't know how the fight stopped. I just remember it was surreal. Just. My dad and I are actually fist fighting each other right now. Black eyes, fucking blood cuts. It's crazy to have, you know, someone that was so strong in my life and just such. Such a man of father figure. Every. I looked up to him. He was everything to me. So we fucking punch him in the face over drugs because he was destroying our fucking family. It's fucking horrible, man.

[Kyle Tequila]

Did you ever recover from all that? Like, do you still carry it with you?

[Corey Tequila]

I. I carry it every fucking day. Absolutely. And I feel like that's how I become so emotional. Just commercials, movies, anything that has to do with a father and a son, it destroys me. It's just. It's so hard. I mean, I do. I do mask it very well. And I try to forget all the time about everything, but it's. It will never go away. It. Me up. Absolutely me up.

[Kyle Tequila]

Do you want to see him again?

[Corey Tequila]

I. I don't know. I mean, I love him. That's what's so fucked up. I do. I mean, I. You can't take back my childhood, which was awesome in my eyes. It was perfect. But now I don't. I don't know if I can. If I can be the bigger man and I don't know, even talk. I. I don't know, Kyle. Honestly, I. I just. I don't even know my reaction or my feelings that would come to me if I saw him again. I don't know.

[Kyle Tequila]

Eventually, Corey got out and moved to Florida, where he started a new career, worked hard, and did well. And though I know the scars of those traumatic years are still raw, I'm impressed by how well he's been able to cope with them, to move on. But mom was still there, living in this hell until my dad either got clean or died trying. And then in 2013, I got a disturbing phone call. It was my dad. He was moaning, crying, barely making any sense, But I could understand enough. He was dying and asking for my help. I immediately booked him a flight for the following morning and found a rehab facility that would admit him.

[Holly Tequila]

I remember getting ready the next morning because I'm driving him to the airport and he's still screaming at me. And the song from Bohemian Rhapsody comes on. Oh, mama, just killed a man.

[Kyle Tequila]

Just killed a man.

[Holly Tequila]

And he goes, perfect. Sock puts his fingers to my head like it's a gun. And he goes, you know what, Holly? I've killed men. I've killed many men. I could kill you, too. That was pretty much the last time I saw him.

[Kyle Tequila]

When I picked him up from the airport, I barely recognized him. He was skinny, disheveled, with dead eyes, and he barely spoke a word. I was stunned. I felt like throwing up. I drove him straight to rehab and dropped him off on my way home. I pulled the car over and I cried for the first time in a very long time.

[Holly Tequila]

I'm still trying to understand to this day why this happened. Why he forfeited a great life and relationship with his children. I mean, my God, I don't care about me, but how can you not have a relationship with your kids and a grandson? I mean, my God, that's what life is about. At least in my world, that's what life is about.

[Kyle Tequila]

I have this old memory of my dad dropping me off my first day at college. He looked at me in a very strange way and said, when you're old enough, I'll tell you everything. No more secrets, no more lies. It's time I learn the truth next week on Crook County. Listen, there are girls in and out of there for years and years and years and years and years. All right? Go in there, crack a deal with the client, go to work, get out quick and wait for the next guy. These girls were pure, pure business and they made a ton of fucking money. Crook county is a production of iHeart podcasts and Tenderfoot TV in association with Common Enemy. All episodes are written, produced and hosted by me, Kyle Tequila. Executive producers are Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Original score by Makeup and Vanity Set. Main title song is called Crush by the band Starry Eyes. End credits song is called no show, also by the band Starry Eyes. Sound mix by Cooper Skinner. Thank you to Oren Rosenbaum and the excellent team at UTA for their support and to my fearless attorney Wendy Bench for her guidance. To stay updated on all things Crook County. Follow us on all socials rookcountypodcast or leave us a voicemail by visiting crookcountypodcast.com for more podcasts like Crook county, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening. The story continues next week. I'm an awesome. I'm a messenger. I'm setting fire. I will watch you show.

[Holly Tequila]

Watching.

[Kyle Tequila]

Thank you for tuning in to Crook County. New episodes are released weekly completely free. But if you're itching for more, check out Tenderfoot plus on Apple Podcasts or visit tenderfootplus.com to subscribe for early access to the full series plus an ad free experience.

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[Holly Tequila]

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[Holly Tequila]

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[Kyle Tequila]

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[Kyle Tequila]

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