Hunting for the Lamb of God - Paperback

O'Donnell, Jamey: - Born in Chicago, Illinois, Jamey O'Donnell spent most of his early years in and out of foster homes and juvenile halls, along with his two younger brothers, all being made wards of the court due to their mother's alcoholism.At 13 years old, he and his two younger brothers were flown to Palm Springs to live with their aunt and uncle. After a year being there, their mother and father came to California to get them, settling in San Bernardino. This is when he was introduced to drugs. After years of shame and abuse, he welcomed the drugs because they made him "feel human". His drug of choice was methamphetamine. He began shooting meth in his early 20's and did it until his mid 40's.At the age of 18, he began singing in rock and roll bands, writing original music and trying to get a record deal. At the age of 27, he almost got what he had been shooting for. He started a band called Exit and they recorded an album, playing nonstop in every club in L.A. that they could. By that time, he was already full up in his addiction, as was everyone else in his band.Unfortunately, they split up just as they were being offered record deals, mostly because they couldn't keep it together. Soon after, he began transporting large amounts of methamphetamine to Denver to support his habit and ended up settling there, and he's been there ever since. He met a woman in Cocaine Anonymous and they got married, then had a kid, and that is when his life completely changed.When his son was born, he looked at his dad and never looked anywhere else, just at him. When Jamey cut the cord, the blood squirted him in his face and nowhere else. It was "like a sign from God". For the first time in his life, he loved someone more than he hated himself, and learned the true meaning of unconditional love. His son's mother was severely mentally ill, which he did not know until after they got married, so when his son was 9 months old, he filed for divorce and custody of his son. Much to his surprise, he was awarded sole custody of him, and she could see him in a supervised visit once a week, which she managed to attend every other visit.Jamey used methamphetamine intravenously most of his adult life, but he now finally had a reason to quit, so he began to do the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous with the desperation of a drowning man, all to ensure that he could be the father his son needed him to be. When his son was 3 years old, his mother stopped attending visits entirely and turned her back on him, never sending child support, or anything for Christmas or his birthday. It was as if she walked off the face of the earth, never trying to contact him againTo support them both, Jamey began hustling meat out of the back of his pickup truck, selling cases of flash frozen steak, chicken, seafood, and pork. It was a hard way to make a buck, but it paid the bills.His luck would change upon a chance meeting with a man starting his own roofing company, offering Jamey an opportunity to learn the trade on the sales side of the business, and he took to it like a duck to water. After a year selling roofs, he was consistently making a six-figure income, and continued selling roofs as a career throughout his son's upbringing, providing him with a stable home and yearly summer vacations.Raising his son by himself, his boy is now a man and is a senior at Benedictine College in Kansas on academic and athletic scholarships while coaching the offensive line for the Benedictine Ravens.Rory is studying for his degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.Rory is also a Double Silver Palm Eagle Scout, which is rarified air in the world of Scouting."Even though he is away at college, he still consumes my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way."- O'Donnell