Damn Chris, you got me crying over what you said about going back and hugging yourself and forgiveness. Our stories are so similar and I hope you find purpose and happiness.

I like him, he owns his crap not blaming the world for his downfalls… i wish him the best!

I love these Appalachian interviews so much. The people are so honest, real, and humble. Most seem to learn their lesson, and they take responsibility for their own behavior. I wish you the best, Chris. Remember that God loves you, and if you truly turn to Him, he can help you through the difficult times.

Whatever this gentleman may find lacking in his life; it isn’t dignity. A mistake is only a loss if you don’t learn from it. He is self aware and observant. This is one more terrific episode on a channel that I have come to enjoy very much.

This is one of the best interviews I've seen on this channel. I'm glad I didn't know more going into it than "Appalachian Story." Chris was pleasant and a great talker, but he was also self-aware, brutally honest and unsparing on himself and his decisions. This, to me, is how a person gets better and makes improvements -- facing themselves first. It's painful. Best wishes, Chris.

I lived in Mcroberts ky near whitesburg and Norton va. I know at one point our county had more atv deaths per year than anywhere else. All the boys road 4 wheelers around in the hollers and over the mountains. My grandpa was crushed in the mines and survived. He was in a full body cast for a long time. He’s 95 years old now.

He seems to be such a sweet man, so accountable. Go be the person your nieces and nephews need in their lives, Chris! 💕

Chris you have such a sweet spirit. Finding God and forgiving yourself are the best things you could have ever done! Thank you for sharing your story with us. So proud that you turned your life around. Wishing only the best for you in the future. Stay strong and keep the faith!

Chris is one of the wisest people I have come across on this channel. Thanks for sharing and I truly hope Chris is able to defeat all of his addictions.

Love this guy! He has really worked on himself and he seems like such a kind and thoughtful man. I hope his life turns around for him.

I like this guy. Seems genuine and really self-aware. I know how he feels in a lot of ways. I wish him the best

What an intelligent, self aware person. Hard self-analysis is worth it when it pays off like this.

Good luck to you Chris. It seems you've learnt a lot through your years. I hope you do well and live happily. Thanks for sharing your story

I was born and raised in Appalachia, Virginia. It was a very hard life to say the least. Now that I’m older, I’ve realized that I’m grateful for the person I am today because of my “rough” upbringing. But I am also grateful to have moved far away after graduating high school.

Chris you are incredibly intelligent & self-reflective. Thank you for sharing your story with us 🙏

What a lovely chap! As most people have said here and I agree. Lots of self awareness, accountability, and honest and understanding and empathy! Damn great quantities to have! It’s easy to forgive others, forgiving ourselves is much harder. Lots of love and luck on your journey, Chris! I hope you find happiness. Stay true to yourself 🙏🏼

The accountability and thankfulness to the ones who helped him is astounding. He took the tools available and used them , that’s bigger than we all even know.

What a cool guy..love how hes able to take accountability and much work hes done to help himself. Being able to forgive ones self and others shows some an incredible evolution. Keep being awesome, Chris.

What a beautiful soul. I wish you all the best this beautiful life has to offer. Many hugs Chris.

What a sweetheart. Bless him. How wonderful he is for taking accountability and not blaming anyone for his actions. Very inspiring.

Chris has received some very solid talk therapy and education about his trauma and addiction. Prayers for him on his continued journey ❤

Chris, I hope we’ll get to hear from you again. You seem to be heading in the right direction and are going to get where you want to be if you maintain sobriety. You shared a lot of wisdom which I’m sure has helped people begin their healing journey. Thank you for your honesty. ❤❤❤ I’m sorry about the loss of your father.

This guys story was fascinating to me and so was reading these comments. I’m in east TN, so a lot of what he said really resonated with me. He reminds me of so many dudes I grew up with. You have an addictive personality - the first step is admitting you have a problem. Good job. You have the support you need to achieve the happiness you deserve. You must forgive yourself, even if you never hear forgiveness from those you hurt.

I think his childhood stuff resonates with alot of men. We are not just boys and girls at a young age. We're children. Whatever gender we are, the stuff we go theough and experience will have an impact on who we become. But the stigma about talking childhood trauma is still strong in men, generally speaking. The fact that he didnt tell his parents and now regrets it... man.. there are many things i havent told mine yet. Maybe i should.

Chris seems like such an incredible human being, my heart is absolutely overflowing with compassion for this man. Wishing you all the very best Chris as well as happiness always. You've given me so much to think about. Thanks to Mark for another great and inspiring video.

West Virginia born and raised. Appalachian proud.

Was actually a nice change of pace from the usual videos I watch on this channel (I dont watch them all) I went in knowing nothing but the rough region where this man is from and his name, to 30 minutes later having a much better understanding of his life. Was definitely refreshing to see an individual who has his regrets like everyone featured on this channel and speak about them, but learn that his crimes were not heinous and didn't land him in jail.

Chris seems so sweet. I wish him all the best in his life.💗🦋

I live in the the UK and find the Appalachian stories so interesting and moving.

"I want forgiveness too. I apologize." Powerful words.

I love how forthright and transparent he's being. The 1st step is admitting you have a problem.

This dude has helped me in this interview. What a beautiful soul. ❤

These interviews are all beyond eye opening, but every now and then you have an interviewee that really opens up and takes us into the very depths of their world. Chris is one of them and I can't imagine the courage it took for him to talk about such private moments. He really took the audience to places that not very many people would dare talk about even to their best friend or closest companion. Thank you Chris for being brave and sharing your story, but mostly, your darkest hours and thoughts. We are all human and have these capabilities built in, but to come out the other side a better person is truly the fight of your life!

Here in Los Angeles letting everyone know you’re not alone if you’re going through tough times. We’re alive and all I can say is keep going!!!!

Chris talks about his mistakes in life easily and honestly. Addictions and adrenaline rushes are very hard to control. He would do very well with a good therapist because he is honest and has introspection about his behaviors.

Love hearing voices from home - Nothing like Kentucky! Praying for your health and healing from Winchester, KY.

Such an intelligent, reflective, and inspiring person...wise beyond his years

Love to all my Appalachian brothers and sisters. Nobody has it rougher. I'm glad I got out of them mountains, but it breaks my heart knowing my family is still there.

Hope you do a follow-up on Chris. Another interview I enjoyed.

They would probably deny it. Trust me, I tried to get an apology for being abused from my adopted mother and she just made me out to be a liar and said that stuff never happened. She always bragged about how evil she could be. As a grown man I realize she wasn’t just being funny.

I am so impressed by Chris. Honesty, elloquence & an aware mind what went wrong. All the best to you, Chris. God bless you.

Brilliant mind with common sense...a real country gentleman...Love him!!!

I like his honesty. He deserves credit for that. He has done some serious soul searching. “You’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run.” 😆 Cheers, from Country Victoria. Australia 🇦🇺 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

The person who did this to him at 6 years old is a truly evil individual! Thank you Chris for sharing your story and I truly hope you find peace.

I really hope this guy finds 100% peace within himself. You can tell he wants to do the right thing. God Bless you man ❤

The issues he's addressing happen all over the world and not only in rural areas. I personally love life in beautiful Appalachia. Just like all areas there are people and places to avoid and equally there are people and places to celebrate. ....all part of America the beautiful...

Ehat an honest sounding man. I appreciate it so very much since honesty can be very hard to come by. So much love to all these lovely Appalachian people...Theres so many dark folds in the culture out there thats gone on for generations...its a no brainer why addiction is a big thing...

Sending all my support 🌸 I wish you all the best Chris. You’ve been through so much. I’m so sorry for that and for the loss of your father

32:01 wow what an amazing interview and such a humble honest guy - totally in awe of how clearly uncomfortable he was at the start to then just ploughing through and owning it

You are awesome Chris! Best interview yet! Especially loved the part about having people close to us who challenge our thinking ❤ and not just nod and smile!

God bless you, Chris! Your testimony has helped me!

Wow, what a wonderful young man...simply amazing!!! Love your honesty, i think by far this is one of my favorites!! God Bless you!!

Sex addiction.. the secret addiction that no one wants to talk about or believe is an addiction. After being molested from age 8-10 and other things that happened in my teenage years I became addicted to sex bc I thought that's what made men love you. I always tried to be a good person but the truth of the matter was that I was a horrible person bc of things I did behind closed doors. Self forgiveness... The hardest human act there in in my book. After all these years I'm still struggling with that. A relationship with God has definitely helped me with that. I can relate to Chris's story so much! God bless you Chris keep moving forward it's a battle worth winning

This is my favorite interview. No matter where you are in life, no matter the struggles, abuse, or bad choices, redemption is available.

Chris, loved Your story and how honest You're telling it, Thank You,.. wish You all the best

Fantastic interview. Super cool dude! Authentic, smart, human, aware of his faults, chill.

One of the best vids yet loved his attitude and pure honesty hope he continues to grow

The power of grace and humility. Great interview, and understanding of the consequences each event in our lives has on us.

Great interview. So in touch and honest. Great guy. Down to earth guy. I hope life is going good and he is happy. So very intelligent on a humble level.

Thanks for such a great interview! Best of luck, Chris 🙏

Such a beautiful story. I hope he continues to do well and mentor others with similar problems.

Fellow West Virginian here! Always loved the channel! Great content!

Great interview! Wish him health healing and peace

What a sweetheart & refreshing to hear someone take drama-free responsibility for their actions. My heart ached for you a few times, Chris, as you shared your inspirational story. I hope you are able to continue to work towards stabilizing your addictive impulses: Seeing them as they are, with honesty and an open heart; surrounding yourself, as you said, with people who care about you enough to set limits and with unconditional love, and always striving to improve yourself and your circumstances, will get you through. You clearly got some smarts from your mom (in addition to the charming bashfulness!). You've got this! Best of luck to you!

Thank you for sharing your story! 🙏🏼

Good to see when a guy, recognizes his flaws and ways that he’s hurt others. Then decides to change his life for the better. I hope he sticks to his plans and continues to live a good life and be an example to his neices and nephews.

Chris, I wish you the best of luck, what a wonderful interview. Your very insightful, to find forgiveness is truly a blessing! Keep looking forward 💋

What a story of hope---thank you, Chris!

Chris is the perfect example of redemption. Fantastic story of taking responsibility and also accepting forgiveness and asking for forgiveness. Best hands down video EVER!!!!

I am so happy to see these interviews specifically. I myself growing up and living in these specific areas , understood from a young age that there was a HUGE difference in these areas and people compared to other places and states I lived in. Unique people and circumstances here in my experience. From what I have went through and observed in these areas specifically, these people were left behind . Jobs were taken out or shut down. This part of the United States seemed forgotten about.There has been no hope or motivation for many. Suicide and overdoses...thefts..fighting and shootings..killings....and when you come from uneducated backgrounds ,poverty mixed with different types of abuse and trauma ,people in survival mode... it's really difficult to escape the cycle and try to get something better for yourself or family. Drugs...poverty ..corruption...abuse of many kinds. There are good hearted and hardworking people here...but there use to be a saying many old timers said and passed down to our parents for us to hear growing up... that when the gates of hell finally open up... they would open up here in hazard .... Obviously this isn't the worst place on earth....nor does it have the worst circumstances or challenges/problems,but for the Unied States this is definitely one of our problem areas. So much I myself went through here and learned caused me to grow up quick to reality. I think most would say they grew up with a lot of dysfunction, abuse,mental illness,drugs,drinking,violence, unstable living and many mistakes/regrets they either did themselves or seen from others etc surrounding them here. Beautiful place... beautiful people...but there is darkness to it as well as there is with anything else.

Great interview. I’m so glad his life is going up and he has some great people around him.

Chris , you are amazing. Your words are golden. Stay strong , God has great things in store for u

Great Video. Good news and very inspiring. I needed that. My therapy sessions land every Monday.

Such a great interview, I learned a lot from Chris, as I do from everyone you interview Mark. Thank you for the work you do. God bless Chris, and everyone that might have been hurt by his actions, forgiveness is such a powerful gift one gives themselves when the unburden their soul from a trespass.

Honest and heartfelt interview. I spent a lot of time in the areas he talks about, but years ago before the meth craze. It was beautiful and fun and so many good people. I hate to see how much eastern Kentucky is suffering, it is a special place that holds so many good childhood memories for me. Good on you, Chris, stay strong and climb safe!

Thanks Mark for this interview

Chris, you are so articulate with your Appalachian accent. I have a country accent I have tried to hide for many years, because the rest of the world unintentionally ( on intentionally) hears us speak and believes we are uneducated or ignorant. You are self aware and wise for being young. I am proud of your road to Recovery ( I am also in Recovery from all the things you mentioned and some) God has blessed you with the gift of life and I pray you stay wise and continue to learn from your mistakes. Your video shows hope. God bless

I have been a subscriber for a couple of Years...., Recently I don't watch all the video's, I use to..., Chris this was so refreshing and honest...., Thank for sharing..., I hope and pray the best for You. Good Talk...

One of the best interview! What a testimony!

Thank you for your words about forgiveness, Chris. I appreciate your heart of humility. God is doing something beautiful in your life and it’s obvious to see. Keep on keeping on❤ bless you!

What a great guy. I really appreciate his honest and taking accountability. So inspiring. How do we find him?

Really appreciate you sharing your story Chris. I go rock climbing with my son every year to give him something good to do and your talk motivates me to keep doing this. Thank you and good you kept your values intact not beating your ex wife.

Chris's honesty is enough to bring any guy who has relied on porno to his knees. stay strong brother and remember the drugs and alcohol make the voices of the evil one louder

Chris your able to speak about your demon's, there's so many people who can't, I pray that your life is on a good path and that you can find your peace. We all have a purpose in life, please remember that. God bless you 🙏🙏

A man who is on the way to true healing - his honesty with himself is beautiful

Thanks for sharing your story Chris - God Bless you

Great interview. Full respect for how he understands himself.

Stay curious and flexible, Chris. And please stay off the drugs (and other addictions or negatively drawing energies)! Sending sisterly love from western Kentucky

Bonnie you are somebody!! So strong and wise. Thank you for sharing your truth. You have shown me that even when you're not shown all the right things to do as we become adults on our own, that we can figure it out and make something of our lives. Create our own family with people who love us, & whom we also love unconditionally. 💘

Seem like a great guy Chris...shout out from Houston Texas brother...keep up the good work and keep on keeping on💪🏻👊💯🙌

My heart hurts for him. To hear him say he thinks about how it made his exwife feel made me cry because ive been in her shoes and i always forgave my ex and gave him another chance because incould tell it killed him to see me hurting. I hope he finds the help he needs so he can share the great parts of him with the right person.

Good morning/day/evening SWU crew. It is just after 3:00 a.m here in Stockton California USA, where it is currently 52°. Wherever this may find you, I hope that you are safe, comfortable, & well. Much love 💗🌎✌🏽

Forgiveness is not for them, it’s for you. Blessings, Chris🙏🏾

I love the comment on forgiving and forgiving yourself. Thank you for sharing your story.

great interview with a good man

Chris you're a beautiful soul. Your humble honesty is a strength.

And THIS right here explains why PORN is so destructive!!

SOoo enjoy your Offerings SWU! Thanks

I could sit and listen to him all day.

Great interview mark, I hope that one day I can do one!