
Don Matis, Jr. on What It Takes to Stay Sober 40 Years | Episode 503
From Voices for Voices® by Founder of Voices for Voices®, Justin Alan Hayes
May 18, 2026 · 19 min · Season 5 · Episode 503
About this episode
Don Matis Jr. shares his journey of staying sober for 40 years and the importance of continuous vigilance in recovery.
Forty years sober sounds like a headline, but it’s actually thousands of small choices stacked on top of each other. We met up with Don Matis Jr. out at Hudson Springs Park on a bright day to celebrate a bright kind of win: four decades free from alcohol and drugs. Don doesn’t romanticize recovery. He talks about how sobriety is built minute by minute, how quickly “just one” can turn into a full relapse, and why staying alert matters even after 20 or 40 years. We also go deeper than the mile...
People in this episode
Host: Justin Alan Hayes
Guest: Don Matis Jr.
Topics covered
- sobriety
- recovery
- mental health
- addiction
- personal growth
Keywords
- sober
- recovery
- alcohol
- drugs
- relapse
- mental health
- choices
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Hudson Springs Park
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