From Needle to Nonprofit | Zac Clark

Zac Clark’s childhood was stable. Good parents. Sports. School. No obvious “reason” for what came next — which is exactly why his story matters. In his mid-20s, Zac had brain surgery. The surgery worked. But he left the hospital with a raging opioid addiction — and it escalated fast. Pills turned into powder. Powder turned into a needle. And eventually, a missing person report, an arrest, and one moment inside a bank that forced everything into the light. Zac got sober on August 30, 2011. He stayed in treatment for four and a half months, moved to New York City, and started over from the bottom of the behavioral health world — one day at a time. Years later, he built Release Recovery, a sober living and treatment operation that now spans multiple locations and helps people who feel out of options. We also talk about the unexpected curveball: The Bachelorette, sudden visibility, and why the real work starts after the camera turns off. And how running became a tool for discipline, community, and staying alive. Subscribe / listen on all platforms: https://lnk.to/the-other-side-of-hard Thank you to our sponsors Ketone-IQ: ⁠https://ketone.com/rideout Code “RIDEOUT” Rho Nutrition: https:/rhonutrition.com Code "RIDEOUT" Athletic Brewing: ⁠ https://athleticbrewing.com Code "RIDEOUT" Chapters (00:00) Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:57) Childhood and Early Influences (02:43) High School and Early Drug Use (03:33) College Years and Escalation (11:43) Post-College Life and Brain Surgery (15:08) Descent into Addiction (18:55) First Rehab Experience (26:52) Rock Bottom and Turning Point (34:15) Starting Release Recovery (39:59) The Bachelorette Experience (41:07) No Time for Dating (41:36) Unexpected Call from a Producer (41:57) Journey to Palm Springs (42:56) The Bachelorette Experience (43:50) Sharing Vulnerabilities (44:34) Cast Dynamics (45:22) Post-Show Reflections (48:45) Building a Recovery Business (51:40) Challenges and Successes (57:42) Running and Sobriety (01:01:31) The Joy of Running (01:06:47) Sports and Personal Growth (01:09:44) Release Recovery Run Club (01:15:40) Final Thoughts and Contact Information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices