Daily Inspiration: Meet Garry Trent

Today we’d like to introduce you to Garry Trent.

Garry, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a firm believer that we play a part in our own destinies; it isn’t all in the hands of fate, karma, and good fortune. We are given choices that lead us down paths toward who we are meant to become or what we’re supposed to do with our lives. For some, the right choices are clear and the paths are easy. For others, a handful of wrong choices causes them to stray, but with a little self-discipline and lessons learned along the way, they can “get back on track.” Then there are people like me who make nothing but wrong choices, and are so far from their path we’re in a completely different time zone.

Born in 1954, I grew up in the segregated town of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. I had dreams of becoming a rich and famous professional basketball player like Walt Frazier. However, when I was eleven years old, I made a bad choice. A really bad choice. I chose to keep a secret that ate me alive, turning my basketball dreams into nightmares that plagued me for most of my life. Instead of a star athlete, I was an alcoholic. I moved to Los Angeles, but instead of finding fame, I lived homeless and drug addicted for over 13 years on Skid Row. And my fortune was whatever change I collected on a good day of panhandling.

Despite the hardships, there were good times along the way. Living on Skid Row with other homeless people and their traumas, addictions, and affictions, there was a sense of community. There was camaraderie, friendships, family, and loyalty. Most of all, there was kindness. I know these words are a stark contrast against the opinions of traditional society as the homeless epidemic spreads across the nation. But I’ve been there. And, now that I’m back, I have some wisdom to share and lessons to teach.

I began my sober journey in 2001. I guess you could say I took the super-duper long way back to my life’s path. At 71 years old, I think I’m a little past my prime for a shot at a spot on the Lakers, but I believe I found a way to still live a meaningful life, for however many years I’ve got left. I want to help other people like me by sharing my experiences, my trauma, and the event that brought me full circle. I was blessed with a second chance to finally get it right. With that mission in mind, I poured all of my heart and soul into my novel, A Boy from Bartlesville. I just released it on Amazon at the beginning of October. I’m excited, proud, and hopeful.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ll be honest, this road wasn’t an easy one either. There were some hiccups. Early on in the writing process, I relapsed a few times. Having to revisit the trauma and the years of addiction had my head spinning for a bit. But my sponsors and mentors were fantastic and helped me through it. There’s that saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, it’s the same for people in recovery. People like me can’t always fight the fight alone.

As the years went by, through sobriety, I was able to make good choices, the right decisions, and reconstruct my life. Yes, life has thrown me a couple of curveballs, but I’ve risen to the challenges and remained sober. My biggest test was being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Thankfully, I have my sobriety groups to turn to for support. They’re not just for addictions. It’s a brotherhood, sisterhood, it’s a community. It’s help.

If anything, a cancer diagnosis got my butt into gear with my book. I was trying to traditionally publish A Boy from Bartlesville. I came close a few times, but, for one reason or another, the deals didn’t work out. While it would have been nice, I realized it didn’t matter. My purpose for writing about my life was to share it with the world and help people who are still keeping that big secret. I’ve seen firsthand how my story has helped other people find the courage to say the words and take that first step toward healing. If my book finds its way into the hands of the people who need it, then it will have all been worth it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
One of the significant parts about being in recovery, for me, is that I get a chance to help others who are not as far along on their sober paths as I am. In helping them, I also help myself, and together we work through struggles, setbacks, and lift each other up. We learn to deal with life on life’s terms.

In addition to speaking at recovery meetings, I mentor other recovering alcoholics and addicts. I use my experiences to help others feel more comfortable talking about their traumas and other causes for addiction. It’s a win-win situation.

I also volunteer at state prisons, bringing the message of recovery to prisoners to help with their rehabilitation. Some of them are abusers, and my story helps them see the emotional and long-term harm their actions have caused their victims.

When I speak, I speak from experience. When I teach, I teach by example. I think people see me as authentic, an OG in some cases, and know I won’t judge no matter what they tell me. They also know I’ll call them out on their BS if they try me. Haha

How do you think about luck?
Luck? To be honest, my life up until I got into recovery was a set of snake eyes, one after the other. I didn’t roll a seven until I got sober. I must say I got very lucky when I met my co-author, Kristine Bottone. I happened to be in the right place at the right time to pitch the idea for my book. I’ll confess she turned me down a few times. Fortunately, I was not only persistent but also charming, and she eventually agreed. Without her dedication and talent, this book never would have happened.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Bartlesville-memoir-Garry-Trent/dp/B0FVBBXJVC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=17ZDF5I9LJK9R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4gBSwchqOuoWrCADTDrVyw.UIBK01LOITsOMyESm3KjQxNPDLGC7JSoM2140opoo6Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+boy+from+bartlesville&qid=1762665435&sprefix=%2Caps%2C2798&sr=8-1
• Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@garry.trent3
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garry.trent.2025
• Other: https://kristinebottone.com

Image Credits
Cheyanne Johnson