About Me
My name is Michael
For most of my adult life, I lived as a functioning addict. I held jobs. I paid bills. I kept relationships. From the outside, nothing looked wrong- but inside, everyday was built around surviving the next day without facing myself.
Addiction didn’t make me reckless. It made me calculated. I learned how to hide in plain sight, how to look responsible while slowly losing control of who I was.
Now, in my late 30’s, I’ve been clean for over 5 years. There’s no miracle ending attached to that statement. Just a lot of uncomfortable honesty, accountability, and learning how to deal with life without escaping it.
I’m not here to sell a polished comeback story.
This didn’t start as a brand, a company, or even a book. It started with me sitting alone, feeling like I didn’t have an outlet for what I was carrying. I didn’t know how to say it out loud, so I started typing — notes, thoughts, pieces of things I hadn’t said to anyone.
Those notes slowly took shape. They helped me understand why I made the decision I did and what that day actually looked like. At some point, I realized this wasn’t just something I needed to write — it was something I needed to finish. That’s when the idea of turning it into a book came up.
Once that idea existed, everything else followed.
How This Became One 11 Legacy
I began researching how books are published — publishers, platforms, outsourcing. The more I looked into it, the more I knew I didn’t want to hand this story off to anyone else. I wanted ownership — creatively and intentionally.
That decision became One 11 Legacy.
I formed One 11 Legacy LLC in California and went through the process of building a legitimate company from the ground up. From there, I committed fully to the book.
I wrote it myself.
Edited it myself.
Formatted it.
Designed the cover.
Everything — except the physical printing — was done by me.
Not to prove anything, but because I wanted to understand every part of what I was building.
Building a Home for the Story
After the book was ready, I had another choice. I could upload it to a large platform and move on — or I could create a place where the story actually belonged.
I chose the second option.
I learned how to build this website and created everything you see here myself- every page, every section, every decision. I didn’t outsource it. I researched, tested, failed, and figured it out step by step.
What started as private notes became a book.
The book became a company.
The company became a platform.
This is the foundation of something I intend to grow far beyond a single story.
What One 11 Legacy Means
The name One 11 Legacy is rooted in something deeply personal to me. It’s a way to honor my late uncle- someone who played a major role in shaping who I am today.
I watched him make serious mistakes in his life. But more importantly, I watched him take responsibility, rebuild from the ground up, and become a different man.
Seeing that firsthand mattered. It showed me that no matter how far you fall or how much damage you think you’ve done, change is possible. Redemption isn’t a theory- it’s something I watched happen in real life. When my own life started falling apart, that example stayed with me. It gave me proof that rebuilding yourself isn’t just something people talk about- it’s something you can actually do.
One 11 Legacy exists because of that lesson.
Where This Is Going
The Fight in Me is not a one-off story.
•Book One focuses on the day I went in for help.
•Book Two will begin the morning after — when the numbing is gone and real life sets in.
•Future work will explore the deeper why behind it all.
Beyond the books, this work is continuing to grow through speaking, outreach, and collaboration.
I’m currently working closely with a group of Doctors to develop meaningful ways to reach people who need help but may not know how to ask for it.
This includes future speaking engagements, educational conversations, and initiatives focused on breaking stigma, encouraging accountability, and creating space for honest discussion around addiction, recovery, and mental health.
The goal is simple:
to meet people where they are, and help them feel less alone in it.
This is only the beginning.
Closing
If you’re here because something resonated, welcome.
Whether you’re reading the book, following along, or figuring things out at your own pace, this space exists for people who are still standing.
One day at a time.
One step at a time.
One legacy at a time.
And just know that as long as I’m alive you will never be alone!
Together we will become One Day Stronger.
