Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
# Todd Richard Mitchell Jr. on *Never Gave Up*: Addiction, Faith, Second Chances, and Finding Purpose After Sports
In this episode of **The Neil Haley Show**, Neil “The Media Giant” Haley welcomes author and former athlete **Todd Richard Mitchell Jr.**, joined by his future wife **Tangyetta Wagner**, to discuss Todd’s book *Never Gave Up*. The conversation explores athletic success, alcoholism, homelessness, incarceration, rehab, faith, family, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life after years of setbacks.
Todd describes himself as someone who grew up extremely athletic but also deeply troubled. Because his father was in the military, the family moved frequently, and Todd says he often struggled to fit in. He excelled in basketball, football, track, and even baseball, but alcohol eventually became a major obstacle in nearly every part of his life.
Basketball was Todd’s first love. He says he received a college scholarship despite not playing traditional high school basketball and later competed at Piedmont College with hopes of transferring to the University of Florida. He also went on to play approximately eight years of arena football.
Looking back, however, Todd says reaching the NBA or NFL at that stage of his life might actually have made things worse. Without confronting his drinking problem, he believes sudden fame and millions of dollars could have accelerated his self-destruction.
Alcohol became Todd’s way of masking emotions, disappointments, anger, and insecurity. He says he knew for years that he had a problem but continued believing he could stop whenever he wanted. One of his lowest moments came while homeless. His father sent him his last twenty dollars, and instead of buying food, Todd spent the money on alcohol.
His addiction also contributed to legal trouble, incarceration, damaged relationships, and multiple vehicle accidents. Todd recognizes today that he could easily have lost his own life—or taken someone else’s.
That history became the reason for writing *Never Gave Up*.
Todd began the book in 2017 but says he was not ready to finish it because his own journey was still unfolding. He did not want to teach other people about overcoming adversity until he had actually lived through the transformation himself.
The message of the book extends beyond alcoholism. Todd wants it to reach anyone who has failed, fallen down, experienced setbacks, or considered giving up on their future. He believes his story demonstrates that a person’s worst chapter does not have to become the final chapter.
Tangyetta plays a major role in Todd’s transformation. She met him around the beginning of his rehabilitation journey and saw something in him beyond the addiction. She describes Todd as intelligent, driven, kindhearted, and loving even during his struggles.
Tangyetta admits that supporting someone in recovery required patience. At first, she wondered why Todd could not simply stop drinking permanently. Over time, she learned that recovery is a process. A relapse did not necessarily mean he had stopped trying.
She continued visiting him during rehab, taking walks with him, talking with him, and reminding him that falling down did not mean he could not get back up.
According to Tangyetta, one of Todd’s biggest turning points came when he felt as if he were losing his faith. For years, Todd believed there would always be another opportunity. Eventually, he began feeling that doors were closing and that he was running out of chances.
That fear pushed him back toward God, church, his family, his daughter, and the people who loved him.
His daughter also became a major motivation for change. Todd remembers seeing the disappointment on her face after she visited him while he was intoxicated. He realized he did not want her growing up feeling responsible for taking care of her father or viewing him as someone who had wasted his potential.
As Todd became sober and more focused, he began rebuilding that relationship.
Another major theme of the conversation is what happens when an athlete’s career ends. Todd experienced the excitement of high-level college athletics and professional football but discovered that achievement alone could not solve the problems inside him.
Neil relates this to his own experience leaving professional wrestling. Both discuss how difficult it can be when the crowd disappears and an athlete suddenly has to answer a new question: **What gives my life meaning now?**
His message is captured in the title of the book: **Never Gave Up.**
*Never Gave Up* is available on **Amazon** in paperback and hardcover editions. Todd can also be found through his social media platforms as he continues developing his film and production work.
# Todd Richard Mitchell Jr. on *Never Gave Up*: Addiction, Faith, Second Chances, and Finding Purpose After Sports
In this episode of **The Neil Haley Show**, Neil “The Media Giant” Haley welcomes author and former athlete **Todd Richard Mitchell Jr.**, joined by his future wife **Tangyetta Wagner**, to discuss Todd’s book *Never Gave Up*. The conversation explores athletic success, alcoholism, homelessness, incarceration, rehab, faith, family, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life after years of setbacks.
Todd describes himself as someone who grew up extremely athletic but also deeply troubled. Because his father was in the military, the family moved frequently, and Todd says he often struggled to fit in. He excelled in basketball, football, track, and even baseball, but alcohol eventually became a major obstacle in nearly every part of his life.
Basketball was Todd’s first love. He says he received a college scholarship despite not playing traditional high school basketball and later competed at Piedmont College with hopes of transferring to the University of Florida. He also went on to play approximately eight years of arena football.
Looking back, however, Todd says reaching the NBA or NFL at that stage of his life might actually have made things worse. Without confronting his drinking problem, he believes sudden fame and millions of dollars could have accelerated his self-destruction.
Alcohol became Todd’s way of masking emotions, disappointments, anger, and insecurity. He says he knew for years that he had a problem but continued believing he could stop whenever he wanted. One of his lowest moments came while homeless. His father sent him his last twenty dollars, and instead of buying food, Todd spent the money on alcohol.
His addiction also contributed to legal trouble, incarceration, damaged relationships, and multiple vehicle accidents. Todd recognizes today that he could easily have lost his own life—or taken someone else’s.
That history became the reason for writing *Never Gave Up*.
Todd began the book in 2017 but says he was not ready to finish it because his own journey was still unfolding. He did not want to teach other people about overcoming adversity until he had actually lived through the transformation himself.
The message of the book extends beyond alcoholism. Todd wants it to reach anyone who has failed, fallen down, experienced setbacks, or considered giving up on their future. He believes his story demonstrates that a person’s worst chapter does not have to become the final chapter.
Tangyetta plays a major role in Todd’s transformation. She met him around the beginning of his rehabilitation journey and saw something in him beyond the addiction. She describes Todd as intelligent, driven, kindhearted, and loving even during his struggles.
Tangyetta admits that supporting someone in recovery required patience. At first, she wondered why Todd could not simply stop drinking permanently. Over time, she learned that recovery is a process. A relapse did not necessarily mean he had stopped trying.
She continued visiting him during rehab, taking walks with him, talking with him, and reminding him that falling down did not mean he could not get back up.
According to Tangyetta, one of Todd’s biggest turning points came when he felt as if he were losing his faith. For years, Todd believed there would always be another opportunity. Eventually, he began feeling that doors were closing and that he was running out of chances.
That fear pushed him back toward God, church, his family, his daughter, and the people who loved him.
His daughter also became a major motivation for change. Todd remembers seeing the disappointment on her face after she visited him while he was intoxicated. He realized he did not want her growing up feeling responsible for taking care of her father or viewing him as someone who had wasted his potential.
As Todd became sober and more focused, he began rebuilding that relationship.
Another major theme of the conversation is what happens when an athlete’s career ends. Todd experienced the excitement of high-level college athletics and professional football but discovered that achievement alone could not solve the problems inside him.
Neil relates this to his own experience leaving professional wrestling. Both discuss how difficult it can be when the crowd disappears and an athlete suddenly has to answer a new question: **What gives my life meaning now?**
His message is captured in the title of the book: **Never Gave Up.**
*Never Gave Up* is available on **Amazon** in paperback and hardcover editions. Todd can also be found through his social media platforms as he continues developing his film and production work.
