day 4 sober this man is very motivating. crying on my couch real af

“If you’ve never been a mess, you have no message” is such a great quote. Only people who’ve lived through hard times can understand.

“I became a slave to Fentanyl. And when my master called…. I answered. I didn’t care at what cost”. Such true words about addiction. ANY addiction. Thanks Mark for a Great interview.

Hey Mark if you could do more interviews. With people in recovery it would be great! It will give you fan base that's struggling hope. A lot of people are "functional addicts" and this would help a lot.

This man is a refreshing breath of air. Congrats to his recovery,he looks healthy. 🤟

Good to see a recovery story. There is a huge difference between how someone talks about themselves while in active addiction and in recovery.

This is really an eye opener and motivation to me, because I was on perc 30s for about 5-6 mouths and I’m only 17 I was down bad when I didn’t have them and me thinking I’m not on it long enough so I won’t get addicted but it takes one pill to destroy your life, im currently on going withdrawal right now (day 5) and I can’t sleep or eat and use the restroom HELLA but I felt good getting up today I hope to anybody who see this comment…….MAN MAN MAN, your not alone in this get some motivation and support and let time go by and I swear u will get through this ❤️❤️❤️❤️

This is literally my struggle story with fentanyl. I'm clean now and healthy. Glad to see this man made it through

He's a great dude. He was my counselor when I was out in California, he's one of the better ones for sure.

This is hands down one of the BEST episodes from soft white under belly. What a captivating fellow!

The best interviews are the ones were Mark doesn't have to say a word. Thank you for sharing Pretty. This was worded beautifully.

Crazy I’m from the Cape Verdean community in Brockton Massachusetts and he’s not lying. He was definitely that dude, we was younger but his name def rang around the city . Known for always being fly, having the baddies and throwing dope events. I went to his bday party he had a Kretcheu back in 07!. Shit was lit. I moved to cali a few years ago and I swear I seen dude in Melrose. Good to see he recovered.

When my mom passed, she had 540 percocet stashed that i found. Needless to say, i became an addict. 5 years 5 months clean.

Made me smile when he started talking about his mom having a “glow” because my mom has that same “glow”. Today marks 1,404 days clean off of meth,heroin, and fent. He ain’t wrong anyone can do it. I don’t hold any special characteristics. If I can do it anyone can.

Thank you for sharing your story. My daughter is addicted to Fentanyl. Your story has helped me try to understand what she feels, thinks, etc. Your and yours are in my thoughts & prayers.

My ex’s bother is an addict and homeless and I always thought the family was terrible for not helping him but this guy was able to explain how his family tried but ultimately an addict won’t recover until they want to do it for themselves

This was a great story. Ppl always assume addicts come from broken homes poor communities. It can happen to anyone. Happy he was able to recover!!

Love seeing others find recovery! I’m Clean almost 3 years & 9 months now & I relate to so much of his story, especially the pain & misery of active addiction. Thanks to recovery I have a life beyond my wildest dreams today. I appreciate you making the content you do! Perhaps it will lead to more compassion toward those struggling & allow others to see they are people too… and everyone deserves a chance to be happy ❤

My ex partner of almost 16 yrs was found dead of Fentanyl OD. 4 days ago. Rip Henrietta so hard to put that. She had spent 5 months in detention and was transferred to a rehab facility. She was doing well and had been clean since February of this year until a girl smuggled some pills in. She became tempted and lost her program due to using in the place. She was facing 9 yrs in prison for assault on a health care worker at Suboxone program when she first started trying for help. She was scared of getting a number her biggest fear she spoke on. Former gang member and drug user since age 11 it's all she knew. She bought 2 pills and proceeded to get high as she could after all that clean time she smoked too much and she was found soon after. I have 8 yrs clean right when the game changed from oxys and heroin to fentanyl. My life was worth nothing and today I custody of my 5 grandchildren and I help bring people to their journey out of addiction. It starts by being able to admit you can't do another day of it. I was lost 17 yrs and you can come home.... I promise it's worth it.

Day 2 sober getting over a Percocet addiction i been had for the last 10 years Its a Hard mental battle but Im stronger than this I love me more than this addiction. Stay strong out there God will deliver you from this addiction 🙏💯 God bless

To anyone involved with addiction or living around addiction. This video is what hope looks like. It IS possible. Bravo.

I am Cape Verdean myself I’m so proud of you👏🏾👊🏽Keep your sobriety 🙌❤️❤️💋🇨🇻🙏🏽

Dang, as a fellow addict, this is probably one of the best, if not the best recovery story I have ever heard. I like how he spoke about his drug use, but didnt glamorize it. It's awesome to see that fellow addicts can recover and end up happy and succesful. Pretty is definitely an inspiration and I know I'll keep his story with me always as a reminder to push your ego out of the way during recovery, have hope, work hard and take it day by day. Thank you so much Pretty and Mark for the video. One of my favs for sure. ❤

I was in absolute tears at the end of this episode, and I’m not even sure why it was just so powerful! I think what got me is my son thinks I’m cooler than spider-man, I can’t even type that shit without shedding a happy tear. Congrats to you brother, you are extremely inspiring and anyone who crosses your path is extremely lucky these days. Keep on living.

My story is very similar. Except I thought I was doing coke and not fent. I started getting anxious when he was talking about throwing up, because I remember that feeling, but the high was better than anything I've ever experienced, so I went back to it. What those in recovery don't tell you, out of fear it will entice you, is the pure fucking joy of that first bump. It's the most beautiful, euphoric , completely ingulfed in love feeling you'd ever experience... But... its a lie. Its temporary. Eventually you're hurting yourself and others to get that feeling back again with no avail. The main reason addicts hate being sober, is because we know nothing in this world will make us feel that immense euphoria again. Sex isn't the same being sober now. Love isnt the same sober now. It left a hole in me. My kids are the only thing that fills it. I would never go back to drugs, but it sucks knowing I'll never feel that feeling again. I am so thankful I made it out alive.

This was undeniably brilliant! Well done, son, and may nothing but the best come your way, both for you and your loved ones.

This was one of the best interviews I've watched from soft white underbelly. That 50 Cent line really had me emotional - I literally broke down. I too felt that line was for me. I've learned to "never say never". You never know how your life is going to turn out and what struggles you will be faced with. I've been through a lot in my life and see life and people so different than I did when I was in high school and university. Everyday I thank God for life and the struggles I was able to overcome.

A brilliant interview. Pretty tells the story in such detail . He’s extremely intelligent, informative and switched on. I was an ice addict until 10 yrs ago and no cravings until just recently. This is my saving grace because it’s helping remember how soul destroying my addiction was, lately I’ve put on rose coloured glasses. Pretty has helped me take them off.

Beautiful interview! Clean 15 years I felt every word he said. So good to see this 🥰

Pretty - 2 years and 7 months clean! Congratulations. How wonderful of you to share your journey. Inspiring. 'One day..and all that', from the U.K.x

Wow this made me so sad. I remember I used to always see him in the club and always so full of life. And to hear that he went through this broke my heart. But I am glad to hear that he’s doing well. Keep up the good work. You’re on your way to greatness

His life sounds like my cousins life. My cousin was the man. Clubs, women, cars, houses, jewelry and he sold the drugs he didn’t do them. Then one day he did and it went from percs to OxyContin to morphine mixed with glass and meth and heroin…took his older sister and my baby brother with him. His older sister died from an infection she got from a dirty needle and my baby brother overdosed the day he got home from rehab and my mother found him. My cousin is still alive. Barely. He’s borderline schizophrenic and twitches and his teeth are gone and his gums are black…all from the drugs. The person we knew seems like a memory. God bless all of you in your journey. Pls get and stay sober no matter what. So proud of all of you fighting everyday. ❤

I can see the pain in his face as he talks about certain issues,I can relate so much to his story the back and forth he speaks of is so true .I had trauma I didn’t understand I also blamed everyone I went 10 years addicted now clean for 7years,I am aware of life now I’m happy he clean and a better man. He’s an inspiration and definitely has a purpose here

The brother is indeed inspirational, regardless of circumstances. God bless.

He had soo much help and support, which obviously played a huge part in his sobriety. There are so many addicts out there who have no one.

I listened to the whole interview this morning at work. Made my whole day. This past March 8th i celebrated 2 year's of consecutive sobriety from ALL substances. Ive been were hes been, felt everything hes felt. And lost everything that's he has lost. His story should be a constant reminder of darkness that WILL consume you if you think this cant be you. Thankfully for me for me my active addiction came before my children were born. 3 months into my sobriety i found out i was having my first child. 3 months after my son was born we found out we were having a daughter. Theyvare and will always be the best thing thsts ever happened to me. They saved me in ways they will never comprehend. I pray every day that i never return to that hell that god pulled me out of❤️🙏

Im just crying so hard watching this because I relate so much. I was addicted to prescription painkillers and fentanyl for a year and Im just so, so thankful for my freedom from that mental prison. Thankful to be myself again. Im so glad this man could free himself too. We do recover. ❤

Wow Mark please do more of the recovery stories!!!! 🙏🏾

I’m in school to become an addiction medicine counselor. It’s always amazing to see people change after finally doing some thorough self reflection and giving themselves a complete self assessment about their lives, without being in denial and and being brutally honest with themselves. Just as he mentioned, “if you let go of one thing, you can have everything.” Powerful AF. Great video!

Note to self; do not listen to this story during work! 😭❤️ I love him! I need a Pretty in my life. I’m not an addict but the strength he has to change his mindset is inspiring. He’s more than pretty, he is beautiful.

My parents flew down to Florida from Oregon to get me help. As soon as they got to my house I wasn't their I had walked to the dope man spot with 0 dollars in my pocket. My parents randomly saw Me walking down the road. And my mom got out and walked up to me like a lost puppy and hugged me. They took me into treatment. I have had 3 relapses in the past year but luckily they only lasted one day pr two and I'm sober to this day. When your so deep into addiction. Nothing will stop it not your parents not your kids not the law. Only you will stop yourself. It takes u to hit rock bottom to turn your life around

I really enjoyed this interview. He’s definitely an effective speaker and someone I found inspiring. I hope his testimony will change many minds and hearts. I’m so glad Pretty comes from such a loving and forgiving family. We need to keep learning about addiction as people because it can be easy to want to either enable a person or push them away entirely with no in between. I have a 62 year old uncle who has been an addict since before I was born, and I think the only way he’s still alive is from being in and out of jail since age 16. I pray Pretty remains sober each and every day.

Yes, sir! Beautiful story of overcoming!! “If I touch one thing, I will lose everything. I don’t want to lose this peace of mind I have today. …I only have today. And then tomorrow I’ll try again with this sobriety thing. I just show up every day.” - Pretty

Beautiful interview. I sent this to my sister to watch because of the addiction issues her sons dealing with.

I applaud his honesty.

He really captured the hell of being addicted to pressed 30s. My husband and I were badly addicted for over a year or two until we hit rock bottom. We were able to afford our addiction until we couldn’t. We stole, we sold, we worked, and one day we feared our withdrawals and couldn’t get money. My husband told my mom the truth hoping she wouldn’t let me be sick. Joke was on him… but doing that saved our lives. I didn’t recognize my husband on these pills. But I was doing the things that I wouldn’t do sober because these pills got me out of bed, moving around, cleaning, socializing…etc. it boosted my ego as pretty also said. When we started these pressed 30s we had no idea they were pressed. They don’t tell you that you’ll get sick after ingesting them so often for so long. How dangerous and painful the withdrawals are. We didn’t know til it was too late to just quit cold turkey. We weren’t so bad at first and would do little pieces and make one pill last a day or two. We eventually moved from NY to Florida. When we moved down there we quickly realized we couldn’t find anyone who had the 30s. But it had been weeks and we didn’t have withdrawal symptoms but craved and that mixed with other things that made us want to go back to NY. I wish we didn’t go back. It was after we moved back that we got worse and worse. I had never overdosed but my husband did twice. And I’m glad we didn’t end up being the victim of fentanyl’s killing sprees.

As a recovering addict from north of Boston truly inspirational story. So much rings true. Keep up the good work Mark. Love is real!

Wow. I’m so incredibly proud of you ! 2 years & 7 months. That’s fantastic 💙,,,I was glued to your story. My heart was sinking as your story became further in to fentanyl addiction, then the rise of hope as you entered detox & the explosion of joy when you finally made it out of that hell. Im saving your video, along with another soft white underbelly video of a lady who started with smoking weed, then cocaine, then Crystal meth, heroin & finally deep in fentanyl addiction, homeless, wasted, no teeth etc, to show both to my granddaughter, at a suitable age, before she comes across drugs (she’s presently only 6), as drugs are the scourge of society, & I’m terrified when she’s older, she says yes & not no. I pray you continue in your sobriety & in helping others 🙏 & live your best life. Thank-you so much for your story. All my love from the UK xx

I have watched 100+ of these videos and I can honestly say this is the only one that I completely understand.

"I'm a parent but I will never understand how it is to love like a mother does"

So powerful, this made my day. I’m incredibly proud to be sober & it’s stories like these that remind me why it’s all worth it. So much love to you Pretty, keep coming back. ❤

This is the most profound and beautiful interview ever. Im so grateful to both of you for putting this out there. Pretty - your strength and courage are phenomenal. I'd give anything for you to be my son's mentor. We're deep in Georgia in a tiny town that's insanely conservative and judgemental and he cant find anyone he connects with. Like you, he's a beautiful, kind, rare, true soul who needs someone he can relate to. I'm sharing this with him to give him the hope he so badly needs. Thank you again for the gift of your experience and words. ❤

Thanks bro im glad i finished this video i feel alot stronger an better about my sobriety after listening to you.

Thank you for sharing. The recovery stories are very comforting to those of us that have loved ones(children) hooked on drugs. I come here to understand the way people think, hear their stories; how they got to where they are etc. It’s excruciating . I love this channel. You treat each person as a person. You hear them and ask questions to gain understanding. Please keep doing what you’re doing. ❤️

Thank you, Pretty and Mark. What a fascinating and empowering message. The best part of the video, the smile that comes over your face when you speak of your sobriety. Congratulations. You are a brilliant story teller.

Wow. ❤❤❤ My son is lost in active addiction. Meth and fentanyl, heroin … whatever he can find. My heart is broken over my sons pain … and feels full getting to see someone is free now … free from that life. ❤🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼❤️ your story brings life … don’t ever stop sharing it.

I know you don't do this channel for the accolades but you deserve all sorts of respect for the kind human being you are in investigating the human experience. The idea of searching out the social element of the world is amazing. I am particularly intrigued with your kindness with the Whittakers and the last video I watched of you with Zion. His case is just so, so sad and I am so happy that you offered him a chance to get into a recovery and I hope that he is successful with your offer. Your interview with Tasha was really interesting. I have children her age and just can't imagine my children having to live the life that she leads and yet she is always worried about her children in all that she does. I must say that every single one of your interviews are very thought provoking. Kudos to you Mark, you are doing wonderful things with your channel in bringing to light the societal issues that face many people. When we live in our calm and clean and peaceful and safe lives, we just cannot understand what some parts of our society have to endure in this life. Thank you for what you do.

Mad respect. You can tell he’s so fulfilled in life, this makes me SO happy to see.

I’m so glad you are in recovery pretty . My daughter died last year of fentanyl. So many others are dying daily . Please be safe .

This was so gripping. You better go boy! Keep doing what you’re doing because you can see how happy you truly are. Congratulations 🎉

Man this was incredible. Feels like you lived my life story. Not the same substances but the path into addiction was identical. Some of the phrasing here hit me in my soul. You should write a book!

I am so thankful and feel blessed and honored to have heard him . Cause I have felt the exact same way as I have struggled with delaing with my addictions. Moving from one substance to the next . At the point where I have been I don't take photographs of myself because I keep struggling but i am actively taking part in my recovery

Your story is sending chills through my bones. You are a survivor that lived to share your story. I pray for your life have continuing peace and prosperity.

one addict talking to another...the only thing that can possibly keep us clean...powerful story

I could watch and listen to this man forever! Been through it myself... IT'S SO FREAKING HARD.. SO HARD! This man just has a way of speaking though that let's you actually feel your not alone ❤

That was by far the best interview I’ve seen ! So inspiring to see someone make it out of that hard life instead of watching people in it ! Do more recovery stories !

Very well spoken guy. Great interview. I liked the part when he talked about how we “negotiate” with ourselves and how we justify our addiction and why we do the things we do in active addiction. Our self talk definitely changes. I was a jobless, homeless, hopeless addict living a criminal life in Las Vegas. I’m now a nurse helping others living a beautiful life of recovery in California. I am 5 years, 17 days clean today. I don’t like to think about the life I used to live but it’s essential to my recovery I remember where I come from🙏🙏🙏

Listening to this made me realize : yes YOU need to make the decision to want better but it really take someone helping you the way YOU need to be helped … that’s why he went through so many people until he came across the person talking how he understood. Bless him and people who take on the feat of helping people like him 🙏🏽

One of the best interviews I have watched on the channel. Bless this man. 🙌🙏

Best one I’ve seen so far! So happy to see how far you’ve come with your sobriety!

This man is a beautiful storyteller. So beautiful to the point that he sounds poetic. Thank god he’s alive to share his triumphant story. Thank you. ❤

Beautiful transparence, insight and authenticity! Inner strength as well. Thank you for sharing your interesting story. There is great beauty, peace and joy in living a sober and simple life (particularly at the service of others), and having a clear mind is absolutely awesome! We only find this out later. They are some of the many rewards that come from living sober. We first just need to want to be straight and be willing to humble ourselves. And you did that. I am really happy you have freed yourself and are now helping others do the same. May many people watch this excellent interview and be inspired by it. Tudo de bem para ti e que Deus te guarde. Keep shining!

Omg! That was so amazing! God has his hands on you brother. Thank you for sharing that. Somebody needed to hear that testimony. 🙏🏾 . Thank you.

Just subscribed. I was scrolling for videos on your page and when I saw this, my intuition knew I had to watch it. It was very dramatic in a good way to listen to him speak from his heart without interruptions/questions etc. I think that gives a very different effect than when the person is interviewed. let them speak from their heart. And YES! more recovery videos would be great. You are very talented and I'm so glad I found your page here 🙂

Wow my brother. I watched this whole video bro. What a powerful story. So inspiring and you are blessed to be able to help so many people. I love you bro for real. Keep the up great work and God is gonna continue to bless you so that you can continue to bless others 🙏🏽

I’m on Oxycodone I can’t walk without it. I mean, I can’t even walk in my house without it. But I do take breaks every six months. I take a few weeks off of it. I’m actually disabled. I’m glad you’re clean. I’m proud of you. ❣️🙏🏻

Honestly .. this is the best video for me since the Amanda series. This was really touching. Thank you pretty.

By far my favorite interview!! So inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

I gravitated towards watching this video because pretty reminded me of my baby brother. He is currently struggling with addiction to heroin & meth. Thank you for bringing me a bit of hope with watching this video.

This is one of the most important episodes on this channel. Thank you, sobriety!

I related to soooo much of your story. I’m 4 years clean from fentanyl. And man do I remember… I remember being at deaths door, I remember trying to keep up with that “act” the lies..Man All glory to the most high.❤ Recovery is possible

Thank you so much for this interview. Pretty you described the experience of addiction so well that those of us who are not familiar with it can learn to have empathy for those on that journey. Your story gives me hope as a mother. Thank you Mark for sharing Pretty with us. God bless you both.

i think this is by far the best episode yet and i’ve been watching for a very long time people like this will change the world ❤️

As a recovering opiate addict myself I can relate to a lot of this guys story. Fairly successful as a financial advisor with money to support my addiction and being alright with the fact that I was an addict and functioning in life and traveling…to eventually losing everything and winding up all alone with nothing but my opiates as my only friend. I never want to go back to that loneliness ever again

Mark , Best interview yet because being a percocet addict then graduated to the blue birds ( Percocet 30s) it's a slippery never did phentynl but alcohol and gabapentins are a great chaser ...also soboxone was my substitute for 10 years then rehab with the grace of God I'm 30 months clean.......Pretty in so glad your doing so good .....Stay in the fight young gun.......God Bless

This dude is the only person I’ve seen explain it so good and relatable like I basically have the same story

So happy ur sober over two and a half years. Inspirational for those with addiction that it’s possible to be substance free. Glad u shared ur story. Clearly sobriety is like a snowflake. It’s unique to each individual. The realization that u need direction and to let go of ur way of doing things is what makes u successful…to let go surrender. Normal life without the expensive things is most precious as we can’t take any of it when we go but can cherish loved ones good conversation and stories that impact others. I salute u…keep up the good work.

His success and happiness has made my day. I'm smiling from ear to ear. I won't lie, I did shed a few tears of joy. Iv never felt this type of joy before. Best of luck to you.

This interview was so powerful and almost poetic in his own perspective! Im proud of his recovery ❤

Going through addiction myself. His message at the end of the video spoke to my SOUL and woke me up. Thank you so much Pretty for your words of inspiration.

Wow. Amazing story....from a Cape Verdean here in New Jersey. Love our Cape Verdeans. Keep up the great work! Working in the industry helping others to battle their demons is a gift. You learned to use your leadership/hustler skills for positive. You have learned what truly matters in life. Wishing you a life full of sobriety & clarity!

Loved this man, I been struggling with addiction for the last 6 years after my moms suicide. Everyday is a battle, everyday is a test. I’ve only used 3x in the last 5 months which is amazing for me individually. I fell short of that a week ago, but my mind is set on sobriety and I don’t have any urge today. These interviews are life changing for some of us. Thank you Mark, thank you Pretty, may the future be kind to everyone 🤍🙏🏽

“My son thinks I’m cooler than spider man, that’s sobriety”. Tears pouring down my face. God bless you!

hearing how he questioned his morals when he first felt the fent, that hits home. that first time i got that high from a fake perc, i was searching endlessly for it but never can scratch that itch. lost my bsf bc he was coming off them and tried to get high off methadone. those blues are also my reason for calling myself an addict. this video hits home. i've never heard someone else finding out they also were so negatively changed by fent. it changed everything; how i think is even different. don't ever try them if you can.

I absolutely loved this episode! He tells his journey with conviction and yet with grace…I applaud him for his transparency, accountability, and his sobriety! Kudos to u!

I've struggled , brought tears to my eyes more than anything in a long time. I know the feeling, you want out, a constant cycle of just trying to be well. Beautiful story, beautiful soul and an amazing story. Would love to speak to Pretty sometime . 🖤

What an amazing interview, even though Mark asked I think it was 2 questions 😅 and the story was on from there. I truly enjoyed every minute of Pretty's story and how he explained his path and journey to sobriety. Wishing you the best! I love you Mark ❤

One of the best interviews or documentaries you have done in a while, my friend thank you for doing them and I have nine months now after a back to back to back to back to back five in a row rehab experience from alcohol addiction

Great interview. Wishing this man and all those in recovery peace for the rest of their lives. I hope this video reaches so many suffering.

videos like this be having me filled with so much hope, Mark be finding people that should be famous for telling these experiences. Crazy to believe we come from different places but battle the same troubles in very similar ways.