"So many people share about seeing me go in and out of the program over the years, how heartbreaking it was, thinking I would die before I got well. They talk about how I am living proof no one is ever too far gone to get clean. The common theme is: if Alan can get sober, anyone can get sober." Walking Out the Other Side is the story of a journey from childhood to adulthood, from addiction to sobriety, from fearing life to living joyfully. Join Alan S. Charles through the dramatic ups and downs of his life from an adventurous childhood to the tragic early death of his father and his traumatic home life with a mentally ill brother and depressed mother. Watch Alan's attempts to overcome his past through professional sports-baseball and harness racing-and then a high profile career in sales. Plummet with him into a twenty-four-year cycle of cocaine addiction and recovery. Before it's over, his addiction will destroy his aspirations and relationships and almost kill him. Yet he will walk out the other side. Anyone who has experienced addiction will relate to Alan's story. Anyone struggling with recovery will find hope in these pages. Anyone with addicted friends or family will get a clear picture of how the addict's mind works and how they can best cope with their loved one's behavior while practicing hard love to protect themselves. Walking Out the Other Side is a cathartic read that will leave you laughing, crying, breathless, grateful, and maybe even believing in miracles.