Christine and Billy Thomas share an office in the I Can’t We Can headquarters. Christine is an administrative assistant and Billy is the newly hired Public Relations Director.Billy Thomas with a background in radio, has become successful as a national concert promoter and has started his own company- BT Productions. He found his way to treatment almost two decades ago and recently joined I Can’t We Can’s administrative staff.

Q: How did you get involved with drugs?

I was molested as a little boy. I buried it so deeply. Early in life I started to get high off ink in newspapers- smoking it. All I wanted to do was get outside of myself. I used alcohol and all kinds of drugs.

I graduated from high school in 1956. Went to San Antonio for basic training, then Wyoming, and then Japan in March of 1957. I was 17 years of age. In the Military Police. I did a lot of drinking, women. Then I got a call in January of 1959. All they said was that my mom was in an accident.

I flew home and my sister came to the door. I thought mom had been in an accident. My sister said, “Daddy killed momma- killed her and burned her up in the car.”

I went to visit him in the jail and he said, “Son, I ain’t do it.” That’s the last time we talked.

In January of 1959 my father killed my mother. I was a mess after daddy killed momma. I went to New York City in 1960; homeless with a monkey on my back.

“Nothing will change in your life until you accept the truth.”

Q: What was it that led you to entering treatment in 1987?

Pain. Pain is a great motivator. Want me to tell you about my last experience? I was in a hotel for three days with no sleep. Getting high, going on a little binge with my friends. When I left that hotel room and walked outside a voice whispered – “You don’t want to do this.” I talked to God. “What time is it?” He told me. “What day is it?” He told me. It had been three days. I was 48 years of age. “God, please don’t let me die this time! If I survive, I promise I won’t do it again.”

So I go home and knew that my wife would get after me. And she did. Told me that I looked bad, smelled bad and needed to get cleaned up. I left to go lay down on the couch. She followed me in there though and came to the top of the stairs and kept talking. So I got up and got my 38. And she stopped talking. And then it got even worse for me. So I pray, “God, please don’t let me die.” Scared to sleep. Scared to stay awake. I slept in just 15-20 minute intervals so that I could wake up to see if I was still alive.

I went to the VA [Veterans Affairs] hospital for detox. I started going to AA [Alcoholic Anonymous] meetings. I know in my spirit this is what God wants me to do. It is a blessing just to be in the presence of someone in sobriety- it gives you hope. Recovery is a spiritual approach to life. We are spiritual creatures. I cannot carry resentment around, I went from being a victim to victorious.

The only day we ever live is the day called today. You never live in tomorrow. You go from today to today to today….When I got sober in 1987 I was told alcohol and drugs wasn’t even my problem- it was a symptom.