Behind the Curtain: The Bam/Novak Saga
Vložit
- čas přidán 3. 12. 2019
- Brandon Novak discusses his up and down relationship with childhood friend, Bam Margera. They started skating together and as their friendship progressed, Brandon started using heroin and they lost touch. Eventually, Bam reached out to Brandon to get him help. Years later, the tables have turned with Brandon being there for Bam as he is on his path to recovery.
Subscribe to this channel today to receive updates on the latest with Brandon Novak.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, don't be afraid to ask for help 610-314-6747.
Learn more about Brandon Novak: www.brandonnovak.com
Follow Brandon Novak on Insta: / brandon__novak
Follow Brandon Novak on Facebook: / brandonovak
#BrandonNovak #BamMargera #CKY #JackAss #Bam #Minghags #FuckFaceUnstoppable #MTV #DrPhil #TMZ #VivaLaBam #Haggard #Skateboarding #BuckyLasek #TonyHawk
Who woulda thought out of these crews it would be Novak and Steve O who would be sober
not in a million years
Right man.. crazy who cleans up and who doesnt.
I'm surprised and happy Steve O is still with us. I hope Bam gets better.
Novak and Steve O went harder and reached their bottoms faster, so they cleaned up before they died. Bam might not be there yet sadly.
I thought Novak would be dead by now. Bam looks like he is dead now.
Brandon you’re a good guy. The way you treated my son during a signing w/ Bam back in the day made that little kids year. He’s now 21 and we still talk about that day. Thank you.
thats an amazing story. when i was a kid i liked watching their shows etc. butthis made me develop so much respect for them
Love this.. great story. I love hearing people's actual experience with some of these celebs.. a lot of time they seem cool as hell when the camera is on but personal interactions from regular ppl tell another story i.e. "Ellen".. lol need I say more. Love that Novacks authentic
Nice!
🤟
That's awesome! I met them at an element demo in Chino,CA back in the day as well when I was a kid
Watching Brandon talk about sobriety and how good and happy he looks I've finally decided to go into treatment for my alcoholism. I sent him a message on Instagram thanking him and to say a prayer for me. He replied back in an hour wishing me well. Top dude.
Good luck man!!!! Be well and happy and healthy
did you fall off the wagon?
R u sober
Did 5 weeks treatment and had a relapse a month later and am happy to say I'm 131 days sober and don't even entertain the thought of drinking again. That will change no doubt but one day at a time.
@@jamieschumacher7989 awesome keep fighting the good fight
I'm 60 days as of today. And this really hit my heart. I'm 35 year old and grew up watching you guys. And feel like I've grown up with you. All the best wishes to bam and you.
Congrats man. Keep it up
Jacob Althiser , hope you’re still doing ok
Yup still doing great thank you.
@@pwallace5359 yup still doing g great thank you
Keep it up brother, you should be proud of yourself.
As a former drug addict myself watching Novak being clean really warms my heart.
Well done Novak.
Well done. Stay strong and positive man. You got this.
I'm not judging im on subutex myself BUT ive done and been around opiates and maintenance drugs long enough to know this dude is definitely on methadone or subutex....I don't care what anyone says!!
drew christenson I was thinking the same thing watching him constantly scratch his nose. Opiates always make my nose itch and I know it’s the same for others. Now he might be taking it strictly as therapy for his addictions and I hope that’s the case but yeah I agree with you.
@@drewchristenson6775 He might be on opiates to deal with the heroin addiction. Because I've met a ton of heroin addicts some clean some, well..
And let me tell you when that abstinense hits them.
It's on an entirely different level.
being on opiates to deal with the heroin addiction makes 0 sense. i could see him being on a maintenance drug of some sort maybe, but really doubt he is on any kind of opiate. that shits a slippery slope right back to heroin, i cant imagine the self control and discipline that it would take for a full blown heroin addict to just maintain with other opioids and not eventually go back to heroin
qbclay2 yeah I agree. I don’t think he’s on opiates, I think he’s probably on methadone or something similar. I was just saying that certain pills made my nose itch like that and maybe it’s the same for what he’s taking. I didnt really make my comment clear lol
He never gave up on you, now you never give up on him!
Arnold Palmer yes. You said it.
Big facts
Bomb tea
Absolutely we’re all in this together baby!
Fr fr It’s time for you to show bam some homie love ❤️ just like he Never gave up on you now you can’t give up on him!!! .....not to talk smack but Brandon you would be no one without bam not get me Wong I love y’all but the world wouldn’t have even known who you where if it wasn’t for bam.... put all them money shit n beef aside for a bit and be there for your friend!!
These guys chasing each other's tails trying to help each other. Hope the best for you both.
Fr fr It’s time for you to show bam some homie love ❤️ just like he Never gave up on you now you can’t give up on him!!! .....not to talk smack but Brandon you would be no one without bam not get me Wong I love y’all but the world wouldn’t have even known who you where if it wasn’t for bam.... put all them money shit n beef aside for a bit and be there for your friend!!
@@ELTALIBANEASTLA did you not fucking listen to a thing he said?
Yeah and to me he wasn’t there like bam was for him!
@@ELTALIBANEASTLA because it's a massively different dynamic to have a Rich Signed Skateboarder with a show on MTV helping out a homeless Heroin addict than it is with Novak trying to help a dude with Multiple Houses, constant royalty checks and who can sell out venues anytime he needs more cash.
What is Novak meant to do? Throw Bam off his couch? The same tactics ain't going to work here, Bam needs to help himself if he wants to stay sober.
@@ELTALIBANEASTLA yo you gotta be a little kid bro ain’t no way
Who’s here after seeing bams rant?
🙋♂️🤷♂️😂
@@CharlieBrownGaming me
@@drunkenmmamaster419 me
@@jasonlindquistmedia me
@@nooodles939 miss bamm
One and a half years clean off iv heroin. Your videos helped me cope.
Congratulations brother !
That's awesome well done
Great work brother!
U a beast bro.. that shit ain't easy. Not by a longshot
Blessings on cont. healing & finding purpose, joy & comfort again in life ... 👀💘💫
Y’all are friends for a reason. Y’all get this fixed, be healthy together. Go skate together. Let’s get this going in a great direction guys. Cmon
Mehh
Trust Jesus
Well said
Jackass 4! Here we go! We will see! I feel its better!
Hey....ya know you’re right....I mean it’s like “cmon”
South Park 🤣
When Dunn pushed Novak... I felt that. From both sides.
Its a disaster from all aspects. Dunn trying to be high and mighty towards Novak over heroin, to normalize and justify his own addictions, of which ultimately killed not only himself but another person. I just wish there was someone there to push Ryan too.
@@stevennorris7181 I get it. Novak was given a strict list of rules to follow if he wanted to stay at Bam’s home. I think they thought they could get Novak off drugs for good. Not realizing just how difficult the process is. Bam now knows the struggles of addiction too.
Also, I think Dunn was really disappointed that he couldn’t get his friend off drugs. It’s hard seeing a friend go through an addiction.
* I’m really proud that Novak got clean. He’s been clean and sober for several years now. Extremely happy for him. I recently read that Bam also got sober; celebrated a year clean too.
Actually what I heard was that Dunn hated Novak and resented that Bam had brought him into the scene in PA. So that push had more behind it. Though it's ironic that Margera and Dunn wound up with their own addiction issues.
It was scripted, lol. You think that camera just happend to be there.
Bam kissing his Bro when novak was down and crying gave me a whole different perspective on bam
Yea dude bams a good shit but nobody wants to talk about that do they? :(
@@TheShred no cause he abused novak friends don't do that
@@psychoticmaniac8465 exactly.
They are just people. We all need help sometimes
God fifty nine likes av never had that lol and and never had any notice until the last reply there it's not that no one wants to talk about bam but he if he starts bettering himself then we will but bams in denial a seen him do a rap the other day with his own writing and a was just sad for him as you can tell we're somebody's at in there head with what they say and a don't think he will be getting better soon it's a slow process people go through addiction an bams no different and people Co signing the madness won't help him bam has to get to his bottom before he can start growing after being humbled acceptance of his addictions is key and that other people might know better than him what's wrong with him when bam gets to that point the sooner the better for him and his family deep down he knows because one thing bam isn't is stupid thanks everybody
He was your rock, be his. You got this. Friendships hit a lot of waves, stay the course. Your story and your support will help him more than either of you will ever realize.
Zac Hansard bullshit
Bam will drag him right back down. He doesn’t want to change. You can’t go around even family if they use.
So you expect novak to just turn his back on bam after all the help and support he gave him? Thats cold
Zac Hansard this made me tear up.
@@spookshow6999 you can go around but dont stay. And I'm a recovering addict so I know what I'm talking about.
Be there for bam, that's all you can do, he'll get sober when he's ready to
Till death do them part
@Justin Mayberry how/why does bam have blood on his hands? Did he have a accidental part in dunns death?
@Justin Mayberry everyone Dunn was hinging out with at that time was drinking and doing drugs. Why is it Bams fault? Did Dunn ever take bams keys away? I actually remember seeing them take a televised road trip where they were fucked up the entire time. Dude, you're a piece of shit for trying to lay that on anyone else besides Dunn.
People get sober or die young. Not too many old junkies. My bf said that to me and I got sober 3 days later
@@tanishareynolds3748 why the legends always gotta die quick...
Today is my 3rd day cold turkey from cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol. I’m 27 and for a long time felt like I had a death wish even doing crazy shit like driving candy flipping. There is much life to live and I hope people like Bam, myself and anyone else struggling with depression can overcome their demons 🙏🏾 Thank you Mr. Novak and Steve-O for inspiring me because nothing is impossible
Hey man I don't know you I never will. But you go this shit. Stay strong. The samurai wakes up everyday knowing he is a warrior and his job is to put on his armor and go to war. Put your armor on and go to war with that shit. Kill it from your life and start again like a phoenix from the ashes. 🙏💥🏚️🏘️
Stay strong man, best wishes.
Update in 3 months
I feel for ya bro I'm 28 and have been on and off opiates for the past 10 years can't even stay more than a year clean half the time , life of crazy , shit I'm probably gonna die one day from it
RIP to the nose beers. You got this bro!
I'm so far about 5 days sober. Shit is tough. But. I'm doing well.
Buddy I’m 4 years clean off shooting up pills n I’ve been off methadone for almost a year now. Bro trust me when I say it gets easier. You may stumble a few times. But you can always pick yourself up. 5 days can easily turn into 5 years. And man you deserve to be clean. If my dumbass got clean I 100% know you can do it man.
I'm proud of you!
Keep on keeping on. You’re doing great. Don’t give up. You are stronger than any addiction. You should be extremely proud of yourself. Wishing you the best. ❤️🙏🏻
@@melissalykins8895 Thank you so much. Sincerely. Unfortunately I'm suppose to have a back surgery done at the age of 24. It's my second one. I finally broke down and took some meds for the pain. But I have it under control. I don't have access to my meds. So. That helps at least.
@@UnimpressedGoose Thank you so much man. I'm trying really hard. I've been to rehab twice. I don't want to go back a third time. But I will. I've been going cold turkey. No subs. No methadone. Nothing. I did recently take some meds but I have to have back surgery and then pain was just too much to bear. But I don't have access to my meds. I have my parents holding on to them for me.
9:40 Bam is cradling you like a mother, man if that is not a sign of love idk what is.
That got me...💔
The biggest thanks he could ever give is to just be there and chill with him but at the same time you have to isolate your self from people that will bring you back to your old ways when are trying to stay sober
Nocturnal RS wtf you doing here bro haha!
@@Behehee ahhaha
Behemeth's OSRS Highlights and Nocturnal RS
🙅♂️
I think the chemistry that worked so well in the show was the fact that all these guys really were childhood friends and really did care about each other. Seeing the videos of bam and Ryan Dunn show just how much these guys cared. Hopefully bam can get it together before it kills him.
Seems like people who have experienced the deepest darkest places in life are the first ones to help others recover. You don't give up on good people that took the dark path.
thanks for this comment
Not just recover, they will help anyone anytime....
It’s true. With other things aside from recovery. The ppl who have helped me most have always been the ones who couldn’t afford to, but somehow found a way.
That's the damn truth. You have more empathy if you yourself have struggled in one way or another. Some of the best people have been through the worst shit.
Most people look at us addicts as a lost cause. Your comment is so beautiful and sweet and I appreciate it
At the ripe old age of 45, I’m now 19 years clean from Heroin and Crack. It’s been a rough road, but I did it. I’ll still smoke some weed and drink some beer here and there, but that’s it.
Funny I have 19 months off heroin and crack. I get anxiety just thinking about that life I lived. I was Novak sleeping in garages and abandoned houses in west columbus. Even let some old dude suck me off for drug money. Im very ashamed.
@@LordRegaI Thanks for the share and I'm glad you've stayed clean, but some stuff shouldn't be put on the internet lmao 😂
@@LordRegaI who cares? We all blast into stuff we don't want to every once in a while
@@Blernster i respect him alot more if he’s genuinely telling the truth
@@LordRegaI we all had our dark moments but its behind us now...carry on and take care
I'm thinking of Bam and praying that he can find the strength to get better. Bless you both. Thank you for all you do!
There making a new jackass .. im sure he will be sober
@@Mr.Meyhem sadly wasnt the case im suprised sadly that we havent seen qorse then a bunch of instagram meltdoqns bams at a low .
Sadly if he doesn't get away from the largee amount of enablers we will have a death rather thr sucess he needs to realize hes a large part of the issues in his life but thus is the nature of addiction ... i hope bam wakes up hefore hes dead like his good friend that was a tragic
death as is
Bams rise was during Novak’s Fall. And now Novak’s rise is during Bams fall. These Pennsylvanians are a interesting breed.
I hope Novak can help bam get through this. Depression is a disease and death is the outcome unless you can climb out of it.
PA👌👌👌
Are Novak and bam fighting at the moment? Im in Aus I don't see much media relating to this?
@S S CZcams is my only social media 👎
Novaks rise was a long time ago. Now it's a plato
On Viva La Bam I couldn’t stand Novak. Really amazed to see his transformation. Takes a real man to grow and get clean like this. Hope he can continue to inspire others struggling with substance abuse.
Yeah you were a punk for thinking like that. Look at bam now, completely 180. These 2 completely switched spots, You did wrong by being judgemental should feel bad.
@@mongogojjo5944 I never judged. I just said I couldn’t stand him as in he was kind of annoying to see on screen. Now I’m praising him for cleaning up.
Also, now you’re calling me a punk so who’s judging who? That’s not very nice.
@@mongogojjo5944 yet you're in here being judgemental to others because they had different views then you did. Do you see the irony in your comment?
Brandon Dicamillo was the smart one of the group and he knew where the group was heading. Hopefully Bam gets better
I miss Brandon. I think that we all do. Listening to him on that Attic Aficionados podcast a couple of years ago or whatever was awesome, but sort of surreal because it was the “real” Brandon and not him playing a character or even trying to be funny.
@Uncle Junior ikr remember the drive thru pranks
czcams.com/video/7qALDxxfrHA/video.html
Brandon was the smartest one of them , I'm glad to here Rabb is doing better too
@@drunkenmmamaster419 rake a legit chemist tho
Brandon and Steve - O. How nice it is to see them sober enjoying life.
Love seeing someone get clean. My childhood was spent watching these guys and I love to see this man look as good as he does. Now go help your friend!
Drug addiction doesn’t discriminate and will tear any person, family, or even nation apart. I hope Bam gets better. He is lucky to have you, just as you were lucky to have him. This is an example of how “what goes around comes around”. No magic or karma. Just being a good friend and having that reciprocated at the most needed time.
Bam did so much For Novak and I really hope someone will be there for Bam cuz he needs it.
Well... Bam won't let you be there for him.
Bam played Novak. Hey Novak jump of a.building for 100 bucks meanwhile bam got millions. I think that's what happened to bams friends dicamillo.... Most likely bam never paid them what they were worth. Bam just takes all the credit and gives them crumbs
literally everyone is there for bam.....and he wont accept it
Dude...
You look SO HEALTHY.
Tears and smiles.
It's sad seeing Ryan talk about how he doesn't want to lose Brandon to addiction while he's drinking a beer knowing that's basically what got him.
Man thats so crazy to think about! Most people don’t think alcohol is a problem its just the other drugs are the problem
@@seahawks366 I used to think that way when i was heavily into drinking back then. Even though people would tell me that i had a drinking problem, I'd quickly defended it by telling them "well at least I'm not a drug addict" as if I was any better. It took alot of trips to rehab and finally surrendering to recovery to realize that alcohol was no better.
@@Alexandria87 alcohol is one of two things that can and will kill you from withdrawls
I stumbled on this video while on a trip down CKY memory lane, but I have to say this video has left me with a strong feeling of appreciation for my life and what I have. Your perspective and your story is really worth sharing and I want to thank you for creating this channel Brandon.
I have so much respect and love for you Brandon. Thank you for responding to me on FaceBook YEARS ago when I was struggling to get sober. You helped me, you cared to help me, and you gave me words of encouragement and hope. I'm sure you don't remember because so many people come to you for advice. You have quite the story under your belt which has granted you much wisdom that helps many of us addicts. Thank you again Brandon. Thank you. You contributed to saving my life from a dark path. You will always hold a place in my heart. Stay safe brother.
You're great novak, been watching you guys since I was a kid. Show him all your love and help him get thru this. He will. Maybe he needs a healthy way to cope with everything in his life. You both are so blessed, don't waist it. 🙏🏼
same brother, i feel you
Relieved to hear that you’re there for Bam. Take care of each other always.
Honesty is bravery, this is a powerful story man. Stay strong, stay sober. We all want Bam to be sober as well. Respect..
i’m sober 4 years in june, your story in rehab spoke volumes to me and it really hit home. Proud of you Novak, you’ve come a long way, One day at a time.
Congratulations hope you are doing well!
I'm turning 40 this year, and been clean since 2006. It CAN be done.
At least Novak has admitted his part in driving Bam insane and he's trying to be a friend with full understanding and no judgment. I honestly feel that MTV's greed really ruined CKY's friendship.
CKY is the band that bams brother is in, also the name of his old videos.
@@MikeLAslade I really wish you'd've said something that was interesting.
@@gokuvegeta6922 same man
@@MikeLAslade Go back to bed Mike.
@@gokuvegeta6922 I really wish you would had something interesting to say
I cried for a sec near the end there. 3+yrs clean from fentanyl here. I wish I had any friends for life that cared about me like this- hold onto it! Proud of us both.
4 years clean of herion this sept. Thanks for the inspiration
Congrats dude, hopefully your closing on on 5 years.
Dude it's amazing that you're still alive. Amazing to see you clean. Life is good. I hope Bam lets you help him. You are both good dudes and have so much to give to the world.
Having done the Opiate thing for 10 years i can relate to this a lot. You are a true friend Novak. Just be there for Bam as he was always there for you.
You and so many of you have been a part of my life granted through a screen and not in person but still a very important part to it which I'm sure is the same for many that watched this or commented. I'm glad you have stayed sober and that you have shared more insight to some of things that went down. Thank you for the video.
267 days strong and to be honest Novak when it comes to sobriety, it will never JUST be a beer again.
Brandon is it truly amazing what sobriety can bring out In people. You and Steve-o are so much more articulated these days and just look so healthy and full of life. Its truly amazing to see. From one former addict to another stay strong brother. I'm going on 5 months clean off the smack and hope to keep on keeping on.
I have seven months sober today from Xanax and heroin. I credit your book as something that really woke me up. I seriously appreciate you Novak. You spoke to me on the phone when I was at rock bottom and sent me some texts. Thank you for being such a positive role model to drug addicted kids and young men around the world. Keep fighting the good fight. Much love,
-Louie
Brandon, i gotta say, i have never been more impressed, amazed, shocked, mindblown at the rebirth of somebody before you. This new you is absolutely beyond beautiful and special and smart and cool and calm and collected. You are a god right now man and i know everyone is fuckin proud of you if you aren't already. Keep being amazing and i cant wait to watch all your content from now on and to keep watching you become the amazing man you always could be. Congratulations my man. I love you x
You look great man. You were always one of my favorites on Viva La Bam. Addiction sucks, I went through it too. I was one of the lucky ones to get out, like you, and hopefully Bam will too. Stay strong brother.
The moment with Novak and Dunn 💔 Novak’s friends loved him so much they didn’t want to see him doing drugs they all tried
9:31 - awww, that footy of you crying and Bam hugging your head is so heartbreaking & beautiful all at once. i loved hearing your words regarding how solid your friendship is- after the hell youve both gone through, after we all lost Ryan Dunn (seeing the Haggard Doc clips in color was a treat), its great knowing you both still have each other. love you, Brandon 💙
I felt that....
That was such a beautiful clip seeing Bam comfort Novak like that. As addicts, that's what we all need. And yes, I'm saying we because I too am an Opiate addict, and have been experimenting and getting addicted to drugs ever since i was 13-14 years old. It started with weed, then progressed to adderall, xanax, alchohol, and then it settled with pain pills and suboxone. The latter of which I'm currently addicted to. I think it all started for me as a way to comfort myself physically and mentally. Growing up in a household that was super unstable never having a true mother or father figure that would comfort you in a time of need because they too were drug addicts. My dad was always gone. He was home 1-2 days a week my ENTIRE life. He had a terrible sex and drug addiction. He cheated on my mom with prositutes and other women for years, and when he was home, it was a constant fight, seeing him beat my mom, badmouth her, and then proceed to beat or badmouth me and my brother, it took it's toll. They divorced after 28 years of marriage. Long story short, I'm still searching for that one thing that's going to replace drugs as a comfort. I'm just now realizing that I should probably comply with people more and love myself, because I've spent so long in the throws of addiction isolated from everyone in the world I completely understand why I am the way I am. It only took half of my life. I'm 27 now, and knowing what has happened to so many people my age is almost enough alone to quit, but the main reason I'm ready to quit.. Is because I'm so tired of hurting. Being in pain, being alone, unloved.. I finally want to surrender. I just hope when I do, I can find someone like Bam is for Novak here, and feel loved for the first time in a long time. People, if you have someone that loves you for you, I strongly advise you that you keep him/her in your life, because you never know.. It could be your last. I'm beginning my journey soon. To love myself, and to find someone who loves me, without drugs being the main factor. I hope I succeed, and If I do, I will go out of my way to let you know how it is. Wish me luck.
good luck, you got this!!! just keep moving forward and find something constructive and enjoyable to put your time and effort into. it takes a while but you’ll get there
I find you have to love yourself first. Tomorrow never comes either. When you just do it and I hope that’s soon, make it for yourself and try to believe you deserve better. Hopefully you can look outwards more and I wish you well.
@@patsysadowski1546 Thanks a lot. Means more than you know.
Stay strong my brother or sister you’re loved
Seeing Bam hold Novak in the bus while he's crying. Damn, man...
Yep. You can really see that Bam loves him. Those two have been through a lot.
And the part where dunn says what the fuck is that Brandon and then pushes him shows how much dunn cared about him he was legitimately concerned
I like Novak but he kind of left out the part where he stole thousands from bam
@@eZaFJDUBB did he
@@eZaFJDUBB he actually mentioned it if you paid attention
Good to see Novak doing better. I’m so used to seeing him wasted all the time, it’s good to see him start a new chapter in his life. Right on Brandon.
You’re an inspiration. Thank you for always being honest in these videos
You're the man Novak! When I was at my darkest I threw you a text on the number you were giving out publically on the Dopey podcast (RIP Chris) and you responded right away. It's amazing your commitment to your sobriety and being of service, it really restores your faith in humanity to know people like you exist. Thanks for sharing this story man, it's so important.
Service or selfish? I'm not so sure about this one.
I think it's very suspect that a person of his notoriety puts his "personal phone number" out to the public to "help people get treatment and get clean".
Is he helping people get into any treatment they can or is he only referring them to Banyan? Seems like a whooooole lot of people are going to Banyan. Could there be a reason for this?? Let's think about it together. 🙃💲💰
I'm an addict in recovery and on methadone for 6 years now. This is SHADY. It's bizarre to me that more people aren't asking questions.
@@TheArbitraryObserver no I hear you, you do have a point. I don’t live anywhere near a Banyan where I’m from and his quick response was indeed to check into rehab for my issue but he didn’t suggest any facility in particular but I didn’t end up going to rehab and ended up sorting it out on my own so I don’t know. At the end of the day I don’t know the guy or his motives but if he’s helping addicts get clean even in some small way I’d count that as a win, BUT that is only my personal opinion… Like I said I really have no idea what the motive is there.
@@Jokerasmaw You are definitely correct about even if he's helping a very small amount of people it's still a huge win. As we know most of us won't make it so even a small percentage is great. I completely agree.
I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that bothers me so much about this guy but....🤷♀️. I just feel very suspect about he and his motivations.
The rehab and recovery industry is HUGE, body brokering is real, I went to American Addiction Centers Singer Island and in South Florida. Soooo much weird and dark shit (at least I felt) with shuffling people into different places, halfway, three quarters houses, etc.
Ugh. I don't know, man.
@@Jokerasmaw Also I genuinely hope you're in recovery and doing well. Such a long, hard road.
@@TheArbitraryObserver yeah part of why I didn’t want to attend a rehab for my issues was the money making aspect of it, I’m sure I could have used benefits to get into a centre of some kind but I listen to a ton of podcasts and read a lot of articles on rehab and the sad fact is that it seems like a revolving door designed to make money and attract repeat customers. People always openly say “you probably won’t get it on the first try” which is absurd really, these places are super pricey, they really should be offering some sort of return program where you don’t have to keep paying for a full stay again and again but the unfortunate truth is that they are a very lucrative business that bank on the fact that desperate addicts, much like myself, will feel like rehab is their last hope and will find any way they can to come up with the money to return time and time again hoping it will take on the third, fourth or even tenth try. They also rely on the desperation of the family and friends of addicts willing to put up the money to get them into a rehab.
I couldn’t agree more that the rehabilitation industry has some real dark and shady things going on… I’m very grateful I was able to correct my life path and get to a better place. I am sober and doing very well thanks so much for saying that. I think as addicts in recovery our best course of action is to be there for each other and not shame people for slipping up and also not act like one slip up means you’ve erased months of progress, I think that ideology only encourages people to continue down a bad path because they think “well I lost all my clean time, I may as well keep going” that state of mind is dangerous. You can indeed slip up one time and then continue being sober.
I also hope you’re doing well and I appreciate the comments! Sorry you had to go through that bad rehab experience.
I’m so happy for Novak and Steve O! You’re an inspiration to many and don’t ever stray from your path. Much love!
I pray to God you never lose focus Novak. You owe it to yourself, to live a beautiful n sober life. And in the meantime, just think about the people you have, and eventually will help... and Smile.
Sincerely, All the Best.
You were a huge step in my recovery. I was in rehab and someone gave me your book to read. I've only read two books in my life and yours was one of them. True friends stick together through thick and thin. Glad that you are still sober. I'm going on 5 years now and can say that I have no desire to go back to that lifestyle. Live the stories in your book BTW.
Thanks for the words of inspiration Novak. It’s amazing that the rear view mirror is always smaller than the front windshield. There’s always time to make changes. And when you do, it’s our responsibility to help others that are struggling. It’s so painful to see what their family’s and friends have to go through before someone is ready, but you can make a full recovery and love an amazing life. Steve O is absolutely leading a perfect example of that and everyone else can too.
So glad he got sober!! If he & Stevo can both get sober, absolutely anyone can!! I love how he kept that book & pants. Absolutely beautiful. I hope so much Bam gets well. He deserves it & Ryan would want that so bad!! “Cause he’s a fuckin awesome dude!!” 🥺🥺💜💜
3 years sober on 11/11/19
And from Baltimore
Congrats!
From Baltimore also. Hard to make it out the bullshit
I just happened on this. I love this. Congrats, Brandon, for your sobriety, And thank you for helping Bam, and always helping Bam, and never giving up.
Addiction sucks.I have battled my own vices for years. Some people don't understand how powerful of a grip addiction can have on ones being and soul. Thanks for sharing Brandon and being there for your buddy Bam.
Brandon for all you've been through, you are inspiring.
So fuckin proud of you, brother! 05/22 marks 4 years for me. I was on the bottle and it was running me straight into the ground. At the end of this year I'm getting married as a brand new, sober man. If we can do it, anyone can do it. Thanks for sharing your story. Wish you nothing but the best, brother! ❤️🤘🏼
Thank you brother 🙏 Congratulations on 4 years of sobriety and your wedding
The message in all of this is "Real friends do what friends do!". It's easy to be a friend during the good times. What makes a true friend is when they are there, pulling for you, in the bad times.
Really great and insightful video. I ran into you at the Baltimore tattoo convention some years ago. I was newly sober.. had just gotten out of rehab, and saw ya walking through and ran after you to say what’s up. I had heard you were getting clean again and asked about it. I guess it turned out that you were fighting through it still at that point, and shortly after got sober. Of all the people I’ve met in rehab, meetings, etc.. I pulled a lot of inspiration from your story. How you were even sharing your personal number with people on IG.. I’ve learned how important it is to be open about sobriety.. because you never know how many people that had no one to relate to, and felt alone.. can just flip a switch and realize they’re ready to live their lives again. I’m glad you’re doing so well. 🤘
Was just walking home in London and I heard this. Couldn't believe it, thanks so much man!! I've been an addict for bloody years but now it's starting to take all from my family and that. I still work and try to skate but just can't stay sober. I'm on a subutex programme, but it not really helping to be honest, that's a flippin laugh. Nuff respect, hope you stay clean. All best, Ben. X
Man, I listen to radio bam episodes still every day. Sometimes they are good, others they are sad. But seeing and hearing you now is fucking awesome. Good for you man. Continue to prosper.
Coming from a family with a long history of alcoholism and addiction issues, I know how difficult that shit is to deal with, it's draining. I hope Bam and Novak continue to be sober, nobody deserves to live in the hell of addiction.
If you or a loved one are struggling, feel free to give me a call: (610) 557-3942.
Glad you’re doing great Mr.Novak! I’m rooting for you and Bam 👍🏽🙏
Don't let go of Bam! He's probably not seeing straight now, but one day hopefully. He needs friends and support
Been clean for 4 years. And still every single day all i want is to get out of where I am. Just wanted to say that finally. But I count my blessings and consider being blessed for my sobriety. Just wish life changed with it.
- C3AutoShop -BMW Dealership Life I'm so glad u shared that and I feel that same thing. Been clean a few years but when I'm at my shop all I want is the day to end,then I get home and I can't wait till I can go to sleep. If I'm busy with my hands fixing a car it helps cause I can get immersed in that and out of my head. I started going to a lot more meetings and that seemed to help a lot. We can't stay stagnant, we need to stay busy. Others at work are maddening bro! Keep at it bud. You helped me today just from your comment so again thanks!!
@@Andy-1234 thank you for commenting. That helped me as well. I know the exact feeling you're describing. Feeling like I'm always waiting to kill the day in the fastest way. I'm happy to get home from work but all I want to do is sleep. Then wake up to reality. It's horrible. It is worth getting clean. But honestly, what's it all for? I've never been in a lower place mentally even though I hold on to sobriety with everything I have. I just can't go on like this anymore. Constantly waiting to not be where I am and am only happy when the day flys by fast and I'm back in bed again. It's like I'm killing time, but just waiting to die. I need more than this. I hope anyone reading this is in a much better place. Live for something. Don't do everything possible to pass the time faster because you're just wasting life in the worst way. I don't want to kill myself at all. But if I had a choice to "turn off" life, I would without hesitation.
Congratulations!
I’m proud of you man things will Change
Something that helped me early on in sobriety was trying to think about what I enjoyed before I got into partying. For me it was being outside, movies, and reading. Slowly I realized I had to give it away somehow. That lead me to volunteering at my local library. This was awesome for my self esteem. It was the boost I needed. Meetings and program wasn't enough. They were a huge part in my recovery, but building my self esteem gave me worth again. My addiction kept me isolated. My addiction wanted me to go home, shoot up, go to bed, and do it again tomorrow. Fortunately my sobriety gave me a freedom. Your guys freedom awaits you just get out of your own way. The struggle is very real and my hopes and prayers are with all of us still in the struggle. Much love to you all
We’re all looking at you to help your friend now Novak. It’s almost poetic. You got this
Beautiful testimony mate! What a beautiful friendship you have. 👍
Brandon, you are an inspiration brother, I’m still fighting my demons.. not heroin but beans.. and I wanna say keep going brother.. I wish I had any friends like you guys., so keep on keeping on
Thanks for the love brother! If you need my help, give me a call: 610-557-3942
@@TheBrandonNovak - Thank you brother, if you get a text from a 505 area it’s me. Take care man I appreciate everything
Novak. You killing it man. Glad your still on this planet. Just celebrated my four years
Novak is one of the best inspirational stories. If himself and Steve-O could turn around their destructive lifestyles anyone can. Unfortunately, some people don't know where or how to start until it is too late. :(
Novak was a legitimate junkie, stevo just wanted and craved attention.
That was so sweet at 9:42. Brandon is such a good dude. He also provides his cell phone number for addicts that need his help. Bam helped Brandon so much back then. I highly recommend Brandon’s book “Dreamseller”
You and bam were always a pair I loved
I really hope he stays on track and I'm so proud of you, Brandon
This September will be 8 years clean of heroin and meth for me. Keep up the good work dude, you look great
I’m so proud of you Novak and the simple t fact that you are going to be there for Bam like he was for you makes you even more of a bad ass true friend👊🏻🖤
This was straight love
Right from the heart the level of mutual respect and understanding is one only brotherhood could truly understand.
Literally just watched your story. I’ve watched many (on other channel...)
Yours resonates very deeply to me; despite lots of ‘pre-addiction ‘ differences. I really found your monologue very powerful.
Thank you for sharing xxx
Novak and Steve O killing that sober life!!
Hey Brandon I just really wanna say thanks for sharing your story bro. In October of 2017 I was listening to your " Tomorrow is going to be Better" riding in the car sick as a dog heading to yet another detox. And something really stuck with me that day. I also listened to it as soon as I got out on my way home in the car. I found so much inspiration in your story and I am proud to say now two years later I am still sober and I want to say thanks for that story two years ago it played a big part on my hope of getting sober... Keep sharing your story and experiences, you never know who might be listening and who might hear something that makes this shit click..
Beautiful to hear. Thanks for sharing. Keep at it brother
Thanks my guy, just sharing my story and maybe one person will see it and get something out of it. Most importantly by sharing it Takes me back to that place in my life, where I don't ever want to be at again.
Had me crying a few times. Good stuff. So grateful for friends.
Novak, I met you and Ban at a Wawa on 322 when you guys were headed to Philly for the night. You guys were super nice to my kids, signed autographs and took a bit of time to shake my hand and be nice to my kids. Thanks! Everyone has their problems but you guys were awesome people.
Genuinely I cannot say how insanely impressed I am with Novak. I always had a soft spot for the dude. This is truly amazing. Recovery doesn’t stop when you get sober. You continue to recover every single day that you choose to stay sober.
Met Novak twice , once in AC and second time in Asbury Park. Can't say enough good things about this man. Truly an inspiration and truly appreciated by the street.
Thanks man!
Josh WW where in asbury? Casino skatepark?
Phil Wilkinson no at Stone Pony.
But it was great!
This whole video has a single message: "Stand by those who've stood by you". Your recovery and transparency have not gone unnoticed. Some may find humor in the chaos and the fallout, but it's honestly too tragic to mock. As you said, what better person to understand a friend's fight than the one who fought with it before him. Don't let this kid go. Don't give up on him... Maybe his 'Chapter 1' is needing a pen you have yet to give him. Kia Kaha
Recovery is a hard road. But we'll worth it! Stay strong and true to yourself. You have to want it. And I'm pretty sure you have to have the lows to see what you need. When your priorities change you can do anything!
You’re awesome! Good shit making a comeback and supporting bam.
Keep on keeping on Novak! You deserve all the happiness and a sober life. Hopefully Bam can find it too!
You’ve got a story!! You’re are certainly a great friend for him to lean on.
5 years clean from heroin... good to see you clean . its for sure so hard and ive hit rock bottom so many times but the people who love me bring me back, thanks for you encouraging words Novak
Congrats on 5 years brotha 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Bam is down but not out! I'm glad he's getting help. Great story. Thx for posting
Just seeing this in Feb 2022 and with Jackass 4 coming out and all the shit that’s gone down recently with Bam. It’s so great to see you doing so well, Novak. Us fans just want to see all you guys healthy and happy. Prayers up for Bam
Yeah, so glad to see Novak clean and as successful grown up man. Also hope the same for Bam - he have good familly and friends so he just need to keep strong in the battle with himself.
Thank you for this. After a kidney transplant gone wrong (kidney is great, but I have severe nerve damage from the surgery & it hurt to stand/ walk) I was on pain meds for 4 years. There was never a time where I took more than I was supposed to. I remembered your words of wisdom. Obviously after years of pain meds, I was addicted to them, and detoxing off of that was hard....but worth it. They recently rebuilt my abdomen with mesh and removed some nerves that were troublesome. It's been a loooong 4 years....but as much as I hurt (and it was fucking terrible) nothing was as bad as life BEFORE my kidney, on dialysis. Pleeeeease don't ever stop speaking out on addiction. So many people need to hear what you have to say. Some of us aren't the classic case (I hate to generalize, apologies) but still struggle. It helps to know that someone can relate and that things will get better! Thank you so much. Be well.
Allison from Indiana
Novak, great video & great to see you clean & sober. First time I ever heard of Novak was on the Howard Stern show. 2.5 years cold Turkey sober for me. Sobriety you have GOT to want it my friend. Stay safe !!
bam was such a good friend to novak. he did sm to help him and it warms my heart to hear all the things he did and how hard he fought for novak