Falling to Freedom

In Episode 26, host Chad LaComb speaks with Bridgette J. Peteet, PhD, MA.; professor of psychology at Loma Linda University. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and the author of (Dis)Honor Thy Mother: Daughterhood, Dysfunction and Deliverance. Together, they explore childhood trauma and the hidden roots of addiction. This episode addresses a subject that is often left unspoken. It looks at th...

In Episode 25, host Chad LaComb sits down with Dr. Lu Wing, a molecular biologist and pastor, to explore the groundbreaking science of epigenetics and its profound intersection with addiction and faith. Dr. Wing, author of The Genes of Eden, explains that while we may inherit predispositions for addiction, our genes are not our destiny. We dive into the concept of Somatic Theology, the belief that...

In Episode 24, Chad sits down with Brooke Torres to share her powerful testimony of redemption. Brooke’s story begins with a childhood marked by divorce and a search for love that led her down a dark path. What started as "fitting in" with marijuana in the 8th grade quickly spiraled into a 15-year battle with meth, heroin, abusive relationships, and incarceration. Brooke opens up about the pain of...

Is there a "missing link" in the recovery process? Most people view rehab as the finish line, but Cameron Birk argues it’s actually just the starting line. On this episode of Falling to Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with Cameron Birk, CEO of Absolute Ministries, to uncover why so many people stumble after treatment, and how to fix it. Cameron shares his personal journey from a life he calls...

What kind of leader is willing to lose his own legs for the people he serves? In Episode 22 Courage, Compassion, and Sacrifice: The Andy Bales Story, host Chad LaComb sits down with a man who embodies all three. Andy Bales spent two decades on the front lines as CEO of the Union Rescue Mission on LA’s Skid Row, and his life tells the story of costly love. Andy doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He names...

Buckle up for a compelling 50-minute discussion on Falling to Freedom, where host Chad LaComb, recounting his own gritty road to restoration, talks with Dr. Ricky Bluthenthal. This USC powerhouse, with a UC Berkeley PhD and 200+ papers in top journals like The Lancet, knows addiction inside out: from HIV fights in the '80s in Oakland (even getting busted running a needle exchange program as a grad...

Designed to Influence and Addict: Social Media’s Impact on Our Children Amy Neville’s life changed forever when her son, Alexander, died at 14 from a fentanyl-laced pill he accessed through social media. Just 24 hours passed from his admission of experimenting with oxycodone to his tragic death. In this gripping episode of Falling to Freedom, Amy shares her heartbreaking story and her fight to hol...

California is in crisis: addiction, homelessness, and crime are spiraling. Can one leader fix it? In this powerful interview, Sheriff Chad Bianco, candidate for Governor of California, joins host Chad LaComb on The Falling to Freedom Podcast to talk solutions rooted in law enforcement experience, faith, and problem-solving leadership. With more than 32 years in law enforcement, Bianco explains why...

What if everything we think we know about crime prevention is backwards? In this compelling episode of Falling to Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with retired police sergeant and decorated Air Force veteran Michael Sugrue to uncover a hard truth from the front lines: most crime has a root; it’s fueled by addiction. From covert narcotics operations in California to the deadly realities of today...

Join host Chad LaComb for an inspiring conversation with Mary Beth O’Connor, retired federal judge and author of 'From Junkie to Judge: One woman's triumph over trauma and addiction' as they explore her incredible journey from childhood trauma and methamphetamine addiction to lasting recovery. Mary Beth shares how she crafted a personalized recovery plan, rejecting one-size-fits-all models, and em...

What if a single story could light a spark for someone lost in the grip of addiction? That’s where we start. Hey there, I’m Chad LaComb, and I’m excited to share The Falling to Freedom Podcast. In this episode, I’m laying it all bare, my messy, real journey. Picture this: I was using drugs by 12, landed in prison, and hit rock bottom before finding redemption through Christ. It wasn’t pretty, but...

From opiate addiction to leading others to freedom Rick Martinez shares his powerful story on Falling to Freedom. Discover how faith, the ‘dignity of work,’ and the Third Phase program at The Rivers Edge Ranch transforms lives. Share to spread hope! #AddictionRecovery #Faith #TheThirdPhase

Join host Chad LaComb for a powerful conversation with Dr. Glenn Potts, a clinical psychologist with over a decade at Patton State Hospital, as they dive into the psychology of addiction, mental health, and the transformative power of faith. Dr. Potts, who has worked with veterans and criminally insane patients, reveals how addiction, whether to substances, smartphones, pornography, or social medi...

In this gripping episode of Falling to Freedom, retired Oakland firefighter Jason Sautel sits down with host Chad LaComb to expose the silent suffering behind the badge. From a chaotic and abusive childhood in Hemet, California, to the front lines of life-and-death emergencies, Jason’s journey is one of unimaginable pain, spiritual transformation, and ultimate redemption. Learn how childhood traum...

Join host Chad LaComb for a powerful episode of Falling to Freedom as Matt Capelouto shares his heart-wrenching story of loss and relentless fight for justice. After his daughter Alexandra died from a single fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill she believed was Percocet, Matt turned grief into action. He spearheaded Alexandra’s Law to hold drug dealers accountable and is now a leading voice in the batt...

In this powerful episode of Falling To Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with Devin O’Day, Chief Development Officer at First Responder-Wellness in Newport Beach, to explore the unseen struggles of first responders, police, firefighters, EMS, and military. With addiction and trauma affecting these heroes at twice the rate of the general population, Devin, 15 years sober, shares his transformativ...

Can you rise above a past that includes gangs, addiction, and prison? Host Chad LaComb sits down with DeShun Wooten, owner of The Press Espresso’s five Southwest Riverside coffee shops, in the vibrant cigar-lounge ambiance of their Old Town Murrieta location. DeShun shares his journey from a fatherless youth and seven years in prison to building a thriving business through faith, southern hospital...

What role does community play in transforming addiction into redemption? In this moving episode of Falling to Freedom, Doug Whiteman, Executive Director of The River’s Edge Ranch, shares his journey from drug use to leading a faith-based recovery program. Discover how accountability, purpose, and the “wrap-around” model at River’s Edge Ranch transforms lives with insights on tough love, animal-ass...

In Episode 8 of Falling to Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with Karen Streeter for a deeply moving conversation about her son Kai, who tragically lost his life to a fentanyl overdose at 21 on June 6, 2024. Falling to Freedom is the weekly podcast that confronts addiction head-on, unpacking its root causes, devastating effects, and potential solutions with raw honesty and hope. Karen shares Kai...

The wait is over.. Black and White: The Al Aceves Story is LIVE today, on Falling to Freedom! Addiction turned an East LA kid into a beast. Faith painted a new picture. ‘Big Al’ Aceves, co-founder of the Mongols Nation, spent 35 years as a heroin addict. He started robbing at 15, forged a biker legend with his silhouette on every patch, and thrived on Vietnam’s violence. He served the devil until...

Join host Chad LaComb and Jessica Alexander, Director of Birth Choice Centers in Temecula, Mayor Pro Temp for the city of Temecula, former Marine, and NYPD motorcycle officer for a raw look at the collision of addiction, unplanned pregnancy, and trauma. A mother of five from a family touched by alcoholism, Jessica’s on the front lines, supporting parents in crisis. Key takeaways: 64% of women defe...

Join host Chad LaComb and Nicole Clear, a Riverside County coroner since 2000, for a chilling, eye-opening dive into addiction’s deadly endgame. Handling 15,000 cases a year, over 50% tied to drugs and alcohol—Nicole, a Riverside County Sheriff, shares what she sees is the final chapter of addiction. From fentanyl-laced “dirty” pills flooding schools to methamphetamine silently wrecking hearts, sh...

In this gripping episode, host Chad LaComb sits down with Rachel Tucker, a powerhouse with 27 years in ministry and the director of Cherish Young Moms in Fontana. Rachel shares her profound insights from decades of working with juvenile offenders and pregnant teens as young as 13, revealing the devastating intersection of addiction, intimate partner violence (IPV), and sexual abuse. She paints a s...

In this episode, hosts Chad and Victor sit down with Pastor Micah Tucker, Senior Director of Local Outreach, Water of Life Community Church, to unpack the tangled web of addiction and homelessness. Micah drops hard-hitting truth, like how 80% of unhoused individuals are locked in long-term homelessness, often wrestling with addiction’s grip. But there’s a way out. We hear Victor’s raw story, a fat...

In this powerful episode, host Chad LaComb sits down with Tim Torres, a 39-year-old who shares his unfiltered and inspiring story. At just 16, Tim was prescribed Percocet for an injury. Within weeks, he was chasing the euphoric high, and in just months, he was physically hooked. When doctors started tapering him off, Tim turned to illicit opiates, first OxyContin, then heroin by age 18. Years late...