Danny Trejo has appeared in some 250 TV shows and movies over the years, and now, he runs a chain of restaurants.
But before all of that, Trejo was a drug addict, spending his days in and out of California prisons.
Trejo tells KNX In-Depth about his 51 years of sobriety. He says he "kicked the habit" while in solitary confinement on Cinco de Mayo in 1968. He was 24-years-old at the time.
He tells a story about a prison riot, and how he and some friends ended up with "gas-chamber offenses."
Thursday, Trejo will speak at the California Community Opioid Conference in Anaheim, and share with guests his life-changing moments.
"I just tell my story. A story of addiction. A story of redemption. And how you stay clean," Trejo says.
He says he still goes to 12-Step meetings. He says he needs what he calls his "medication," aka his meetings, his steps, and good people around him.
"There's no reason to use. You gotta' find a good excuse... alcohol and drugs are no longer fun for me. When I think about using drugs or alcohol, I think about showering with 50 men and guards yelling and screaming at you. I think about what really happens, not the instant release," he says.
For tickets, click here.
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