reach out for help.

A tribute to a mate.

When I was a teenager, I struggled.

I struggled with living out of home, drinking & using drugs.

I was very sick most of time because I wasn’t feeding my body nutrients. I lived on two minute noodles & alcohol.

A around 16 years old my doctor told me I would soon go to prison or die if I continued my behaviour.

I was in a bad way by 16 years of age.

But.. that’s about the time a friend of mine started inviting me to his families traditional  Monday night dinners.

I also attended their church. I needed family.

I went to most Monday night dinners with Chris’s family, hungover & or strung out from weekend benders.

They never ever judged me. They simply accepted me as if I was part of the family.

So after 25ish years I was invited back to Chris’s family traditional Monday night dinner (Friday night)❤️

We have kept very little contact over the years, so this reunion was very special.

I was able to thank Chris & his family face to face for literally saving my life, because without them I would have certainly lost my way.

I was asked about many of my life journeys, of which a few are unbelievable, given what they know of my life.

One of which was did I really work with Arnold Schwarzenegger (Yes) Do we keep in contact (No)😄

It was hard to talk about the stories from our teen years with the kids around.. But maybe it’s best to keep them in the past.

Here’s my advice to anyone struggling.

Reach out to anyone & everyone in your life until you find people who are willing to be there for you.

There’re families out there willing to provide you with food & love.

Thank you Rayner family🙏🏼

The drawing is something Chris drew for me in high school.

He believed in me so much to draw my picture & write “Darran Wayne Petty - THEN NOW ALWAYS” which now lives on my podcast set.

Chris was also the person that lent me his barbell set that I started me on my bodybuilding journey. He didn’t want it back after 25 years😉