From a World Series to a Prison Cell: The Addiction and Redemption Story of Brandon Puffer (Episode 27)

“I was tormented. Literally tormented. I'd look in the mirror and go, ‘What are you doing? That’s not you.’”

Brandon Puffer had everything, or so it seemed. He was a Major League pitcher with a World Series ring and was even being groomed to be a big league coach. But beneath the success were so many secret wounds that he refused to deal with. One night, after years of quiet compromising and numbing pain with alcohol, he made a decision that changed everything.

In this episode, Brandon tells his story with raw honesty—from a childhood shaped by trauma and numbing, to five years of sobriety and faith, to the night that landed him in a Texas prison. He shares how small compromises led to massive consequences, what repentance really looks like, and how God’s grace can redeem even the most broken story.

This isn’t a tale of excuses, it’s one of ownership, humility, and the long, painful work of redemption.

We explore:

— The slippery slope from “one drink” to full relapse
— How trauma and insecurity planted the seeds of addiction
— Why white-knuckling sobriety never works
— What true repentance means: turning, not just confessing
— How taking full responsibility became his path to freedom
— The consequences that remain even after grace
— How to live unashamed when the world won’t forget
— Why humility, gratitude, and daily discipline keep him sober
— What it means to be “faithful in the little things” after hitting bottom

Website: coachpuffpositive.com

Book: From the Bullpen to the State Pen

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