As we previously reported, professional skateboarder Brian Wenning was eventually released from jail, and this time he has been making real efforts to renew his life.
He has been going to a tattoo removal clinic to get rid of his face tattoos and has been regularly attending AA in hopes of becoming a better version of himself.
In a new interview on Living Proof New York, Wenning has been open about one of the hardest chapters of his life, a time filled with drinking, personal struggles, and mistakes that nearly cost him everything.
Back then, he was drinking heavily while also dealing with family stress.
His dad was in the hospital, his brother was in jail, and he was trying to figure out how to keep it all together.
Around that time, he saw skate legend Stevie Williams, now known as Lord Williams, at Street League Skateboarding spending time with his kids.
Wenning noticed the way Lord Williams treated his children with love and respect, and it made him realize that he wanted to be that kind of dad for his own daughter, though in his own way.
But instead of making positive changes right away, things got worse.
Wenning drank nonstop for three and a half years, and one night he made a reckless decision that changed his life.
During an Instagram Live session, he appeared on camera with a Mossberg shotgun and a loaded 44 Magnum. Someone in the skate community saw the video and thought he was holding his daughter hostage.
Police were called, and soon Wenning was in a standoff with officers. In that moment, he said he debated going further or backing off. Thankfully, he chose to step back, and he was arrested.
In the aftermath, Wenning was ordered to go through AA, anger management, church services, kenosis, and Bible study.
He has said that prison life, while difficult, gave him the time and structure he needed to reflect on his mistakes and learn from them.
Those experiences, mixed with therapy and spiritual practice, helped him begin to rebuild his life and start addressing the anger and destructive habits that had brought him down.
Looking back, Wenning admits the road was rough, but he also recognizes the lessons it forced him to face.
His story now is about responsibility, fatherhood, and working hard to change. Inspired years ago by how Lord Williams cared for his kids, Wenning is focused on being a better father and showing love and commitment to his daughter.