None of this would have been possible without Tom beginning his personal recovery journey more than four decades ago. His path has not been without setbacks. Tom has not consumed alcohol since December 10, 1989, but after breaking his back in a motorcycle accident at 19 years sober, he became addicted to pain medication. With humility and determination, he began again at day one with the support of treatment and the recovery community—many of whom he had helped along their own recovery journeys. Eight years ago, after a relapse involving benzodiazepines, Tom once again recommitted to sobriety.

Raised in a small town in Iowa surrounded by addiction, violence, and child abuse, Tom was first introduced to drugs and alcohol by his own mother at the age of ten. As a teenager he was arrested seven times for offenses ranging from drunk driving to fighting with police officers. Despite the chaos surrounding him, he held onto a dream of leaving his hometown and building a career in entertainment.

After graduating high school, Tom worked for three years on the kill floor of a meatpacking plant to save money to attend the University of Iowa, believing it could be the beginning of a comedy career. His addictions followed him there, leading to further struggles and legal trouble. After college he moved to Minneapolis to pursue stand-up comedy, where cocaine entered his life and intensified the downward spiral. One night, sitting handcuffed in the back of a squad car on the way to jail again, Tom heard a voice inside telling him that he still had a chance to turn his life around.

In 1986, after leaving jail, Tom attended his first 12-step meeting and discovered a fellowship of honest and supportive people who would become a lifeline for decades. That recovery community has supported him every day since—especially during moments when he stumbled.

While Tom was rebuilding his life, his younger sister Lori went down a very different path. Following in their mother’s footsteps, she became a drug dealer on a massive scale and ultimately spent 20 years in federal prison. Their family story became the subject of the Discovery Channel documentary series The Queen of Meth, which explored their upbringing and Lori’s rise and fall.

Through sobriety, perseverance, and hard work, Tom ultimately achieved the dreams he once thought were impossible—building a career in film, television, and comedy while creating a stable and meaningful life. Drawing on his remarkable journey of recovery, resilience, and reinvention, Tom speaks candidly with audiences about addiction, mental health, trauma, perseverance, and the power of second chances. Through humor, honesty, and hard-earned perspective, he connects with students, recovery communities, corporate audiences, and organizations working to support mental health and addiction recovery. Tom Arnold works in partnership with APB Speakers for speaking engagements worldwide.

Today he is a devoted father raising his son Jax, 11, and his daughter Quinn, 9. His commitment to healing has also allowed him to confront painful parts of his past, including identifying and publicly exposing the man who sexually abused him as a child. After Tom shared his story, more than 30 other survivors came forward, helping prevent the perpetrator from adopting another child. Read Less ^