Episode 13: Retired Firefighter Martin “Skip” Ockomon

In this episode, Dan speaks with Martin “Skip” Ockomon who identifies as a former atheist, alcoholic, and addict. Skip was a firefighter in Anderson, Indiana, for 33 years. He describes his life experience with drugs and alcohol simply as, “Didn’t see away out of the Darkness, until the miracle happened.” Join me as Skip recounts his addiction to Cocaine and Alcohol while serving his community as a firefighter and the steps his brotherhood took to get Skip the help he needed. Listen as Skip discusses the cognitive behavioral therapies he learned through counseling to mourn the loss of life from devastating disasters, acceptance of death with loved ones in his own family, and healthy coping strategies to overcome scenes of trauma. Skip’s greatest discovery while practicing sponsorship as a peer-support mentor was finding his alcoholic brother he never knew he had. Through grace and living one-day-at-a-time, Skip celebrates 22 years of recovery today.