A New Chapter, An Endless Horizon - JT McKinley

From Airborne Ranger to Author: Jim’s Rock Bottom, Rehab, and Recovery | Rock Bottom with RyanOn Rock Bottom with Ryan, Jim shares how his identity was shaped by being the oldest of five, chasing productivity, titles, and his father’s approval, and serving five years in the Army. After a surprise divorce before 30, he began drinking alone to numb shame and resentment. Years later, after remarrying and enjoying “stable” drinking, becoming a stay-at-home dad on an eight-acre rescue-animal ranch triggered deeper vodka-fueled secrecy and daily drinking. A confrontation with his wife—realizing he couldn’t remember what he said the night before—led him to seek help and complete 35 days in rehab in North Georgia. Jim explains how surrender became letting go of what he can’t control, how spirituality grounds his recovery, and how sobriety enabled him to write and publish his historical thriller Endless Horizon, centered on connection, belonging, and resilience.00:00 Stable Drinking Years00:35 Rehab Reality Check01:34 Show Intro and Book Plug02:52 Meet Jim and Sobriety Dates04:28 Childhood and Identity05:47 Army Years and Approval10:00 Divorce Sparks Drinking14:01 Stay at Home Dad Spiral17:38 Caught and Choosing Rehab19:08 Learning Surrender23:59 Rehab Lessons and Commitment26:22 Defining Recovery Success27:46 New Purpose After Rehab30:05 Spirituality and Higher Power33:24 Origin of Endless Horizon36:59 Connection Themes and Family Impact40:36 Rejection Valleys and Staying Sober44:14 Why Historical Fiction Matters46:36 What Writing Replaced in Drinking50:23 Advice to Past Self and Others53:09 Rock Bottom and Closing Links