Damascus Road Lives: When God Rewrites the Story

On the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul—once a fierce persecutor who killed and imprisoned Christians—was dramatically confronted by the risen Christ. In an instant, his life was upended: the hunter became the hunted for the Gospel, the destroyer became its greatest champion. This is the breathtaking power of God’s mercy and grace—a total transformation that turned a zealous enemy into a faithful servant. If you’ve never read Paul's story, dive into Acts 9; it’s a story that still stirs the soul. But Paul’s isn’t the only life God has rewritten. Throughout history and today, He seeks out the weak, the broken, the overlooked—not to leave them in ruin, but to restore them with eternal purpose in Christ. Here are a few modern echoes of that same Damascus-road grace: These aren’t exceptions—they’re invitations. No matter your past, God delights in writing new chapters. Your story isn’t over.

From Shock Rock Icon to Gospel Preacher

Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier in 1948) rose to fame in the 1970s as the shock-rock pioneer behind hits like "School's Out" and theatrical performances featuring guillotines, fake blood, and gothic horror themes. Despite his larger-than-life persona as a "villain" on stage, Cooper grew up in a devout Christian home—his father was a lay preacher in The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), and his grandfather was an evangelist. As a child, he attended church regularly, but fame led him to drift away, embracing the excesses of rock stardom.

By the early 1980s, at the peak of his success, Cooper's life spiraled into addiction. He described daily heavy drinking and cocaine use, competing with peers like Jimi Hendrix and Keith Moon (who died at 27), but he hit rock bottom at age 33. One night, alone in his bedroom snorting cocaine, he had a terrifying breakdown: he felt he saw blood pouring from his eyes and nose, convinced he was dying. In that moment of utter desperation, he cried out to God for help. His wife, Sheryl Goddard (whom he married in 1976), had already left with their three children, issuing an ultimatum to quit drugs or lose his family forever.

That divine intervention marked his turning point. Cooper quit cold turkey, reconciled with Sheryl, and sought Christian counseling during his recovery. Around 1982–1983 (between albums DaDa and Constrictor), he recommitted to his childhood faith, getting baptized and plugging into a local church. His pastor played a key role, advising him not to abandon his stage identity: "Look where He put you. What if you're Alice Cooper, but now you're following Christ? Your lifestyle is now your testimony." This freed Cooper to continue performing shock rock—not as "Christian rock," but as a believer using his platform for good.

Today, at 77, Cooper has been sober for over 40 years. He reads the Bible daily, attends church every Sunday, and openly shares his story, emphasizing Christianity as a personal relationship with Jesus, not a rigid lifestyle. He views Jesus as the ultimate rebel and warns others of addiction's snares, even gifting Bibles to fellow artists like Marilyn Manson. Cooper's transformation echoes the Prodigal Son parable: a wayward son returning home to grace, proving faith can coexist with art—even the macabre kind.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts – From Serpent of Sin to Serpent Slayer

Aurelian "Jake the Snake" Roberts (born 1955) is a WWE Hall of Famer known for his psychological promos, DDT finisher, and python entrance (Damien).

He endured a traumatic childhood in Gainesville, Texas—abandoned by his wrestler father, Grizzly Smith, as an infant and raised by his grandmother until her 1966 death—fueling rage, self-loathing, and teen-onset substance abuse.

Roberts rose in 1980s WWF as a sinister heel, but alcohol and crack cocaine led to arrests, divorces, homelessness, overdoses, and a 1995 firing after erratic behavior. Rock bottom included a 2013 heart attack and suicidal relapse.

In late 2012, Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) took in the broke, 300+ pound Roberts for rehab via DDP Yoga, therapy, and accountability. Chronicled in the 2015 documentary The Resurrection of Jake the Snake, he lost 50 pounds, confronted childhood trauma, and experienced a spiritual breakthrough, surrendering to God.

This sparked his 2013–2014 born-again Christian conversion and baptism. He preached in churches, quoted John 3:16 (which inspired Stone Cold's "Austin 3:16"), and briefly returned to WWF in 1996 with a Christian gimmick and python named Revelations. Later, he joined Christian promotions like Reborn Wrestling for addiction outreach.

Now 70 and sober over a decade, Roberts mentors in AEW, hosts podcasts, and tours with testimony shows. His prodigal-son-like redemption highlights wrestling's dark side but proves renewal through vulnerability, community, and faith.

John Ramirez: Satanist Warlock Meets Jesus in a Motel Room Vision

John Ramirez grew up in the Bronx projects of New York, abandoned by his father and steeped in Santería witchcraft from age eight. By his twenties, he had risen to the rank of a third-degree high priest in Palo Mayombe, a dark occult practice involving animal sacrifice and demonic pacts. He claimed to astrally project to curse churches and even marked people for death. In 1999, after his fiancée left him and his occult “powers” began turning against him—nightmares, physical sickness, and demonic oppression—John hit rock bottom.

One night in a cheap motel, suicidal and clutching a knife, he heard an audible voice say, “Your life is not your own.” Terrified, he opened a Gideon Bible to John 3:16 and read about God’s love. Jesus then appeared to him in a vision, radiating light, showing the scars in His hands and saying, “I died for you; now die to yourself.” John surrendered instantly, renouncing 25 years of Satanism. Demonic attacks intensified for weeks, but he clung to prayer and was delivered. Today he is an evangelist, author of Unmasking the Devil, and pastor who trains believers in spiritual warfare, proving that even the darkest past can be redeemed by Christ’s light.