Brief

A daughter tells of her father's life and how he came to be a devoted follower of Christ after years of addiction and tragedy. An eye-opening true story of God's unfolding plan to craft an old man set in his ways into a believer just before his death.

What We Liked

- Based on a true story;
- Always seeking out adventure, the stories of lead Chuck’s travels are fun and interesting,
whereas his conquering of addiction later in life is inspiring;
- From high highs to the lowest lows, Chuck's life runs the gamut as he transitions from being
a millionaire to an addict to a servant of God;
- A film/series would traverse everything from adventure to tragedy to faith as Chuck ages. His
experiences are both heartbreaking and exciting - such as watching his daughter compete in
the 1988 Olympics - so there would be something interesting to watch in every single frame;
- Faith-based films often exceed box office expectations due to a devoted following.

Synopsis

TRISH PORTER recounts several anecdotes she’s gathered about the long and fascinating life of her father, CHARLES “CHUCK” KING, a self-made multi-millionaire. He loves to have fun, and he is a constant thrill-seeker. He loves to use his wealth to treat his friends and family to luxuriant experiences. He is vigilant about his kids being athletic, and Trish makes the 1988 Olympic team for high jump. Chuck pays for the entire family, including Carol, from whom he’s divorced now, to fly to Seoul, South Korea to see Trish compete. He prefers the women in his life to be quiet and blonde, and he warns against Trish gaining weight more than once. His second wife, DEBE, even dyes her hair lighter to please him.

Chuck begins investing in the stock market later in life. He loses 97% of his wealth due to the economic collapse in 2007-2008. Around this time, he also begins taking OxyContin for back pain. He quickly becomes addicted to the opioids, while Debe also becomes addicted to pain pills. Trish’s first husband and her 15-year-old son are killed. Though Trish is devastated, she and her daughter put their faith in God and are reassured that they will see their lost loved ones again in heaven. Debe dies in 2016 when she’s only sixty. Trish knows Debe was a true believer in Christ, and is pleased to know this means she’ll also be in heaven.

A friend of Trish’s sister-in-law, BETH ANN, agrees to be a caretaker to Chuck, as they recognize he needs help with Debe gone. She helps him reduce his opioid intake and gets him to eat better and exercise. Slowly, he begins to leave the house, engaging with his family and the outside world again. After years of his family asking him to go to church, Chuck finally agrees. Chuck opens up to James, Trish’s new husband, about the loss of Debe, and James points out he can see her again if he goes to heaven. He concedes that he does believe in Jesus.

The next morning, Chuck takes his own life by overdosing on his pills. Trish wonders if he wanted to get to heaven sooner to see Debe. In a coincidence fitting of Chuck himself, everyone runs late to his burial for one unavoidable reason or another. Trish shares how the deaths of her husband and son made it possible for her to meet James. If she hadn’t met James, then he never would have talked to Chuck about Jesus. She can rest easy that her father was Saved before he ended his life.

About The Author

A former US Olympian, Trish Porter Topmiller is the author of Rekindle Your Dreams, in which she shares practical steps for making dreams happen. She is involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and attends Woodmen Valley Church in Colorado and Sagebrush Church in New Mexico.