Acrobaddict: A Courageous Gymnast’s Tale of His Descent into and Liberation from Drug Addiction

Gymnast Joey Putignano takes listeners on a harrowing journey from the U.S. Olympic Training Center to homeless shelters to shooting heroin on the job as a cast member of Cirque du Soleil to being declared dead. Joey’s story, told in his new Book Acrobaddict (2014 Central Recovery Press,) goes beyond addiction. It is about the fragility and tenacity of the human spirit and how that spirit can redeem each and every one of us by helping to push us through the darkness, whether the darkness is from death, divorce or the disease of addiction.

Episode Segments:

Break the Chain: Acrobaddict Joe Putignano's Acrobaddict is a story about the close relationship between athletics and drug addiction—how the same energy, obsession, and dedication that can create an Olympic athlete can also create a homeless drug addict – and how the human spirit can prevail.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Joe Putignano Joe Putignano is a performing artist and contortionist who has toured with Cirque du Soleil. He was the star of the Cirque show Totem. He has performed in The Times They Are A’changin’ by Twyla Tharp and in a number of stage productions with the Metropolitan Opera. Putignano has been featured on Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s Human Factor on CNN. His memoir, Acrobaddict, was published in September 2013 by Central Recovery Press. He lives in New York City. (Photo by Scott Marrs) Joe on Twitter Watch the Trailer for Joe's Book