This conversation left me speechless.
Bryan Wood isn’t just another guy with a “comeback story.” He’s a man who spiraled from elite MMA fighter to opioid addiction, heroin use, and prison time, and somehow rebuilt a life that most would’ve thought was lost forever.
In this episode, Bryan opens up about how one back injury became the first domino that led to a full-blown opioid addiction, prescription fraud, and eventually a prison sentence. We talked about how addiction hijacks your brain, the terrifying power of withdrawal, and what it really takes to rebuild your life after you’ve lost everything, including your marriage, your career, and your freedom.
But this isn’t just a story of destruction. It’s a story of radical accountability, hard-earned healing, and hope.
Bryan spent four years behind bars and used that time to reinvent who he was from the inside out. He journaled every day, wrote newspaper articles, created curriculum for inmates, and faced his darkest truths head-on.
This is one of the most raw, redemptive, and human conversations I’ve ever had. If you’re struggling, or know someone who is, please listen. Bryan’s story might just be the lifeline you or they need.
Key Moments:
0:00 "Thanksgiving Pill Run"
1:44 Bryan Wood Introduction
6:40 Doctor Teaches Him to Snort Pills
11:07 Buying Pills Off the Street
14:48 Switching to Heroin and Prescription Fraud Begins
22:20 Courtroom Stunt: Swallowing Heroin to Avoid Charges
29:06 Final Relapse in Prison Sparks Transformation
34:03 The Guard Who Believed in Him
37:17 Turning Himself Into a Machine
42:31 Most Influential Person: Nolan
45:00 Mental Health Crisis in Prisons
51:45 Life Today: Sober, Successful, & Private
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Where to find Tyler Hall:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerchall/
- Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-tyler-hall-archives-7018241874482122753/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sirTHALL
- Work with Tyler: https://www.tylerchristianhall.com/
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