John Gaughan – Rock Star, Alcoholic, Suicidal & coming back from rock bottom
JOHN GAUGHAN'S STORY
It’s not good when you are at rock bottom, but that’s where I met with Jesus. He literally picked me up out of the gutter. I had started drinking at the age of 13. After that I couldn’t put the bottle down. When I was 15, I was singing in the pubs and clubs. Then when I was 18, I was one of those people who were ‘discovered’. I was taken down to London from Leeds, where I ended up singing with Peter Noone and Herman Hermit’s. In places such as Madison Square Gardens and the Hollywood Bowl.
One day I was doing the working men’s clubs, and the next I was going to parties with the big stars. It looked like I had absolutely everything. But it was nothing compared to what I’ve got now.
At 20 years old I was drinking about two and a half bottles of vodka a day. If I didn’t have a drink for 4 or 5 hours I would shake violently. This sounds crazy, but I couldn’t drive a car unless I’d had a drink!
I was one of the few people who started at the top and worked my way down.
I couldn’t take it any more at the top and tried to settle down. I left show business and moved to Spain in the mid 80’s. I started in cabaret and worked my way down, eventually just earning just enough to cover my drinks bill. I didn’t like what I had become. I’d tried everything to stop drinking. I’d tried drying out clinics and hospitals, I tried everything a man could possibly do. I just could not stop drinking.
At this point I knew that there was a God, but not that he knew me personally.
ROCK BOTTOM
In late 1985 I came back to Britain. When I got home my house had been burgled. Literally everything had gone including the carpets. I couldn’t take it anymore. I ended up living on the streets.
Just before Christmas 1985 I went back to that house I owned. I went upstairs and threw myself 40 feet from the attic window, I landed on my feet on the flagstones below. Instead of killing myself as I planned. My feet were smashed completely, and I crushed the lumbar joints in my back. Looking back, I could see that God’s hand was on my life.
I wound up in hospital for 3 months, recovering but unable to walk. Eventually took the wheelchair from me, because I was going to the off license in it in my pyjamas! That’s how desperate I was to drink.
My mother died while I was in hospital, and I moved into her flat where I carried on drinking. I now had a real drink problem, because I couldn’t get out on my crutches to buy more alcohol. I resorted to sending for a taxi!
CHANGING MY DIRECTION
At one point in the mess I was in I then decided that I would go out and search for God. I knew, He was my only answer and he heard my cry.
One day a man knocked on my door. The Lord had told him he had to speak to the person inside the house about Jesus. He listened and obeyed. It was a miracle!
Eventually I went to his church with him, there everybody had smiles on their faces. I went down to the front and gave my life to Jesus. Even though I said the words, I didn’t really mean it. I just wanted a quick fix.
But Jesus didn’t leave me. I carried on drinking but kept going back to that church because they are full of love. I carried on going back for 5 years. But in 1991, I wanted a closer relationship with this God. I’d been hearing everyone talk about it, but I had never experienced it.
FINALLY GETTING BACK ON MY FEET
I started reading books about people who had been changed by God (in between slurps of alcohol). Thinking that if Jesus could do it for them, he can do it for me. I went back to the church, sober for the first time in years. Stood up and went to the front, and gave my life to Jesus – this time I meant it!
A lady prayed with me and broke the curse of alcoholism over my life.
I’ve never wanted a drink since!
I just asked Jesus into my life and he did the rest. And, without even asking, Jesus also healed my feet which had been an issue since my jump. I could now walk properly again. Also, within 3 months my back was healed as well.
I started writing and performing Christian songs and now travel full-time telling my story. Sharing my story in words and song of how Jesus changed my life.
