Sober Champs

Episode 25 - I Hid My Relapse From Everyone

This week on Sober Champs, Pete and Aidan sit down with Jason Vickers, whose story spans recovery, relapse, and the painful truth of what happens when you drift from the work that once saved you. Jason shares how a tight-knit recovery group and a powerful spiritual experience helped him rebuild his life. But over time, life got louder and recovery got quieter. He talks openly about the slow unraveling — a beer to take the edge off a toothache, a hidden bottle under the floorboards, and the deep fear of being found out. What follows is a raw account of living a double life. Jason describes the emotional isolation, the lies, and the mental gymnastics of trying to hold it all together while quietly falling apart. Eventually, the relapse deepened into the very addictions he had grown up watching destroy his family. This episode is about more than slipping up. It’s about shame, identity, and the illusion of control. It’s about what it really means to get honest — not just with others, but with yourself. 👉 Listen now to hear Jason’s full story. More about Jason:  Nantoncks Metsu https://www.natoncksmetsu.com

Episode 24 - Still Sober, Still Human ft. Pete & Aiden

This week on Sober Champs, we're switching it up. No guest, no table — just Pete and Aidan in a laid-back, unscripted conversation about life, recovery, and everything in between. They open up about what it’s been like creating this podcast, how far it’s come, and why it’s more than just a space for stories of struggle — it's also about connection, humor, growth, and building something real. From reflecting on their own sober dates to speaking candidly about mental health, relapse, working in recovery, and even social media addiction, this episode pulls back the curtain and lets listeners see the heart behind the mic. It’s funny. It’s honest. It’s personal. Whether you’re deep in recovery, just getting curious, or have been riding with us since episode one — this one’s for you.

Episode 23 - Allison

This week on Sober Champs, Pete and Aidan sit down with Allison, who opens up about her journey from a seemingly "normal" childhood in North Seattle to full-blown addiction by her teens. Despite coming from a supportive home and academic-focused parents, Allison shares how her restless energy and untreated ADHD led her to chase chaos at an early age. From acting out in middle school to introducing harder substances into her friend group in high school, Allison paints an honest picture of how addiction doesn’t always stem from trauma. It can also grow quietly in the spaces where we feel unseen or misunderstood. The conversation dives into early recovery, the illusion of “figuring it out” after rehab, and the dangers of relying on self-knowledge alone. Now over a decade sober, Allison reflects on the importance of community, humility, and the power of learning from others’ experiences before having to hit every wall yourself. This episode is for anyone who thought they could outsmart addiction… and learned the hard way that healing requires more than just understanding. It requires surrender.

Episode 22 - Cicio

This week on Sober Champs, Pete and Aiden sit down with Cicio. Someone who takes us deep into his story of addiction, identity, and transformation. Growing up in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, Cicio always felt like he didn’t quite belong. He was funny, social, and surrounded by friends, but never truly comfortable in his own skin. What started as weed and keg parties in middle school quickly escalated into a dangerous mix of Xanax, benzos, opiates, and cocaine, all driven by a desire to escape the deep discomfort he carried inside. This episode pulls no punches. Cicio talks about blacking out for days, gaslighting loved ones, and chasing that fleeting high with everything he had, even when it meant destroying everything around him. From selling pills and getting robbed to waking up in strange places with no memory and no money, his addiction took him to the edge more than once. But the turning point came when the hustle stopped working. After burning bridges and hitting emotional rock bottom, Cicio found himself in rehab in Arizona. Not because he wanted to, but because there was nowhere left to run. That decision marked the start of a slow, uncomfortable, and deeply real recovery journey. Now over two years sober, Cicio opens up about what healing really looks like. From learning how to feel feelings without numbing them to building back trust and rediscovering who he is, his story reminds us that recovery is not a straight line. It is work. It is honesty. And it is worth it. This episode is for anyone who has lied to themselves or others just to keep using. Anyone who has felt broken and unlovable. And anyone who needs to hear that it is never too late to change.

Episode 21 - Devon

This week on Sober Champs, Pete and Aiden sit down with Devon, who’s nearly six months sober and proof that hitting rock bottom doesn’t always look the way you think it will. Devon’s story starts in Edmonds, Washington, where she grew up in a Christian household, stayed active in sports, and was a standout student who went on to graduate from the University of Washington. On paper, everything looked perfect. Behind the scenes, she was blacking out nightly, hiding bottles under bathroom cabinets, and convincing everyone, including herself, that she had it under control. This episode digs into the tricky nature of high-functioning alcoholism. Devon opens up about juggling two jobs, including a remote consulting position she handled while drinking on Zoom calls, and working her way up the wine world in New York City. As a sommelier in the fine dining scene, she was surrounded by alcohol, praised for her performance, and privately unraveling. Devon shares how she tried everything to manage her drinking — limiting it to weekends, switching to wine only, keeping a calendar with fake sobriety milestones. But the reality was darker. She describes the moment she saw a text on her sister’s phone that read “I think I need to get Devon into rehab,” and how that broke through years of denial. She booked treatment the same day and boarded a plane to California. Now in early recovery, Devon talks honestly about what the past six months have looked like. From facing difficult emotions without alcohol, to learning how to show up for family and friends with integrity, to rediscovering her passions and rebuilding her life one step at a time, her story reminds us that recovery is about progress, not perfection. This episode is for anyone who’s ever questioned whether their drinking was “bad enough,” anyone navigating early sobriety, or anyone who just needs to hear that healing is possible, even when you’ve been lying to yourself for years.