Best decision of my life: Darren Maule talks sobriety

Updated Dec. 31, 2024, 7 a.m. | By East Coast Breakfast

East Coast Breakfast's Darren Maule is celebrating 14 years of sobriety as he enters the new year, and his social media post has inspired thousands to make a change.

Substance abuse is a challenge many South African households face, but stories of resilience and recovery offer hope for a brighter future; and the courage to embrace change has the power to transform lives and inspire others.

East Coast Breakfast’s Darren Maule’s journey is a shining example of this transformation. Now celebrating 14 years of sobriety, Darren’s story reminds us that it’s never too late to make the best decision of your life and spark meaningful change.

We couldn’t help but love seeing the reaction to Darren Maule’s sobriety post on his social media platforms on the last weekend of 2024. The timing couldn’t be better for him to start to open up about this important topic, as Darren himself puts it “Tis’ the season of making changes and ‘resolutions’…there are one or two really big decisions in your life and choosing to quit could be your biggest one.”

Darren will be ringing in a New Year for the fourteenth time clean and sober. Based on the amazing reaction to his post which saw a reach of well over 50,000 in just 24 hours, it’s clear that his commitment to start more conversations around sobriety in 2025 has struck a chord with many.

A large number of the hundreds of comments speak to his sobriety being ‘inspiring.’ Darren intends to make the coming year the year to delve deeper into this important topic, which impacts so many.

ALSO READ: Darren's daddy-daughter December itinerary

We decided to catch up with Darren about his post. “I always said to myself that one day I would get around to talking more about my journey to sobriety and encouraging conversations that could possibly help other people get clean and sober. At this stage I only have experience of my own sobriety journey, and I had tried many times to quit before I actually did. Successful sobriety for me started with stopping for the right reason and the right reason was stopping for myself, not anyone else. My main advice has to be to do this for you, all the other decisions you make after that mean nothing until this first decision is made 100%.”

When asked if any comments stood out for him Darren replied, “I’ve read every single one and tried to respond to as many as I can. The comments that I loved to read the most were definitely other’s sharing their own journeys, and they all use the same words - 'Best decision ever’. It’s so true! It’s definitely the best decision of my own life.”

Check out Darren’s inspiring post for yourself:

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Darren Maule’s journey reminds us that sobriety is not just a decision; it’s a powerful, ongoing commitment to living a better life. His story inspires hope and proves that change is always possible, no matter how difficult the path may seem.

As Darren aims to share his experiences and open up important conversations, he invites us all to reflect, connect, and support one another in the pursuit of healthier and happier lives.

This is just the beginning of a much-needed dialogue, and the impact of these stories will only grow stronger from here.

You can catch Darren back on air again, from 8 January 2025, on East Coast Breakfast every weekday from 6AM to 9AM.