Steven Reidhead knows recovering from methamphetamine is possible and has used his story to inspire those around him. Now his story can reach and possibly inspire an even larger audience.

Reidhead's story is part of Partnership for a Drug Free America's Life After Meth campaign, highlighting tales of recovery. Life After Meth has its own page on YouTube, as well as 30-second public service announcements being broadcast nationally.

Reidhead's story on how he beat a meth addiction after it almost killed him can be seen as a 30-second commercial or a longer, six-minute version on the Life After Meth YouTube page.

Shelly Mowrey, director of programs for Drug Free AZ, an affiliate of Partnership for a Drug Free America, said since the videos debuted on YouTube in August and October, the 30-second spot has had over 465,000 views and the six-minute version has been viewed over 77,000 times.

Mowrey added Reidhead's story is also being featured on billboards across the country.

The spots were produced by a media company out of Los Angeles and includes not only Reidhead's first-hand account, but comments from family, law enforcement officers and baseball players he coaches at Snowflake High School. Reidhead said he has been pleased and surprised with the quality of the finished product.

"My biggest fear was that it wouldn't be an accurate portrayal," he said. "But as it turned out; I couldn't have been more pleased."

Reidhead's first experience with meth started a downward spiral in which he even found himself stealing from family just so he could get his next high. It all caught up with him in November 2003 in a Globe motel room, when his drug dealer, armed with a shotgun, confronted him. Reidhead was threatened with the weapon, but he fought back and in the ensuing struggle was stabbed in the chest.

Reidhead needed to be resuscitated at the hospital, but he survived the attack. He said an EMT told him his second chance at life began at that point, but it would be wasted if he did not get his life back on track. And that is what Reidhead began to do, taking care of outstanding warrants, attending regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings and disassociating himself from those that used meth. Now, Reidhead is a loving husband and father and the head coach of Snowflake High's junior varsity baseball team.

Mowrey said Reidhead's story is especially compelling because he does not fit the typical perception of a meth user. She said he has a great family, was a great athlete and was strong in his faith, but even with all of that meth still turned his life upside down.

"Looking at Steven, a lot of times there's this misunderstanding that the meth user has a stereotypical look," she said. "A meth user can come from any demographic, from any walk of life."

"That's what meth does to people. It can be a problem in a big city like Phoenix, or a community like Pinetop or Show Low or Heber/Overgaard."

The other misconception about meth, Mowrey said, is that those who are addicted have no hope of recovery, and that hopelessness extends to family. However, Partnership for a Drug Free America, she said, wanted to show that is not the case and began looking for those who had not only recovered, but were now living normal lives.

Mowrey said she has been working with the Navajo County Drug Project for around five years and they put her in contact with Reidhead and his mother, Sandy Brimhall. She said she asked Reidhead to share his story on a national level and he was more than willing to do so. Reidhead's story was submitted with the stories of two other former addicts from Phoenix, and Partnership for a Drug Free America ultimately went with Reidhead's tale.

To film it, Partnership for a Drug Free America teamed up with producer/director Nico Sabenorio and music video producers Rockhard Productions, both from Los Angeles. Reidhead said the film crew came out to meet him in October 2010 and spent a week recording video. He said they spent around six days with him and the final day speaking with law enforcement officers, even going to Globe to find the motel Reidhead was at on that fateful night.

Even before the film crew came out to see him, Reidhead said he had been talking with Sabenorio for a year or two, sharing his story through pre-interviews. After gathering the film, he said it took the crew about a year to go through all their material to put the public service announcements together.

While the 30-second commercial currently belongs to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, Mowrey said state affiliates usually get them six months after they launch nationally. She said Drug Free AZ should get Reidhead's spot in another couple of months and then they will be able to play it across the state.

Mowrey said she thanks the Navajo County Drug Project for introducing her to Reidhead, and thanks Reidhead for being willing to share his experience with others.

"It's such a hard thing to do," she said. "But we know when people hear those stories, it gives them hope. Steven's story gives a lot of people hope."

Reidhead said his hope is that more people learn that recovery is possible, especially perhaps to those he knows who might still be struggling with their addiction.

"They know how bad I was," he said. "If I can do it, they can do it."