Marked for Life

Dalton Mills, narrator of Marked for Life, also shares the same hometown of Middlesboro, KY, with Cody and the Coots family. In this episode, he offers a "crater's-eye" view of the unique town, sharing his perspective on the serpent handlers and how actually they are perceived by the people of east Kentucky.Want to hear more about this subject? We have a podcast called Alabama Astronaut at alabamaastronaut.com detailing the recording session that Cody described in Episode 30 of Marked for Life, "The Ballad of Ol' Lemonhead."Thanks for listening!

Cody mounts a defense for the people of the faith.Even with years of sinning copiously, he noticed many of the faithful remained steadfast and pure, particularly one man from Alabama who lived his faith to perfection: watching no TV, "doctoring" for nothing, and clean shaven. He also had no Facebook, too.Some of the revered believers, however, reports Cody – the ones who performed all the signs – were actually full of the devil all along."Not everything that shines is gold," he concludes about the serpent handlers.

Cody returns after two years to compose a final chapter of this memoir, Marked for Life."I thought writing this book would be like therapy," he said. "But then, I got my eyes off God."

Cody explains his beliefs, and how they are properly demonstrated. (At one time, he "learned" how to do them, manufacturing miracles. But this way, Cody says, the Signs are accomplished to edify God...) Cassy is pregnant. But Cody, though excited, gets a bad feeling one Thursday when she goes to the doctor for a checkup...

A stranger, an artist and ex-fundamentalist preacher from Alabama, is interested in Cody's Signs-following songs. He reaches out."These have never been documented before," the stranger says. "Would you and Cassy mind singing a few into my handheld recorder?"A relationship begins. It leads to a Nashville-produced album of Cody and Cassy, called the "Coots Duo."(For more, the Alabama Astronaut Podcast features Abe Partridge, Ferrill Gibbs, and characters from Marked for Life in a music-related setting.)

Cody tires of life in Middlesboro.He tells Cassy, "Let's move in with your folks in Berea." So they do.Freshly settled, a snake attacks Cody in the snake room out back.Meanwhile, a global pandemic threatens the region. It begins stretching out to every holler in east Kentucky.

Cody rages outside the church, and it's all Shelton's fault he can never be saved!Afterward, Cody and his friends caravan. They pray for him at his house. Somebody speaks in tongues; another lays hands on Cody's shoulder.Another picks up the family bible from where it lay on the floor, there blocking "Nina" from entering the den."Miracles," writes Cody, "happened that night."

Out-of-work Cody Coots is barely scraping by. Now, he turns to the one trade he knows best: snake trading in the great state of Kentucky, USA.He also tries ridding the household of Nina by making a deal with the devil. "I want some of what you've got, Devil," says Cody.Of course, such a deal always comes with a price.One season of torment ensues until a voice says, "Cody, you and Cassy will go to Church Saturday, and Cassy will give her heart back to God."

Cassy moves in with Cody, only to find an unexpected houseguest: "Nina."Together, the newly minted duo drives the streets of Middlesboro escaping Nina, staying out until daybreak, staying far away from home for as long as they can.Meanwhile, Nina gets worse day by day...

Cody is determined to do what is best for him regardless of what some people might say, like his bosses. He spends the week at Cassy's house."Try to salvage your marriage, Cody," they tell him, but it's easier said than done. He can't stop dreaming about Cassy in his life.Reflecting on his past mistakes, Cody then shares a vision of how one can free oneself.

Cody's home life is such a mess, he gives himself a haircut – it's something he does when at his wits' end.His wife walks in on him and he declares his time is over with the church – his allegiance to Christianity is done.And that's when the fighting really starts. It's Thanksgiving Day. The kids see everything.

Cody takes a vacation from work, and decides to revisit the House of Horror.As he strolls through the devastation of his former home, he also strolls down memory lane.Though ghosts inhabit this place, Cody attempts to make peace with them all.

Cody gets word that his mother Linda Coots is looking for his sister, Trina."For some reason," she explains, "Trina is not answering her phone."Meanwhile, Cody continues to express feelings toward Cassy. He asks her to drop everything and come be with him. "I have done so much to disappoint my family," Cassy explains, standing in the church parking lot. Cody calls Andrew for advice.

Cody's sinning reaches a fever pitch. Snakebitten in the snake room while feeding a rattler, he's visited by members of the church who congregate by his bedside to pray faithfully.Then, in walks a girl named Cassy.When Cody sees her, he thinks, "Lord? If I'm dying from a snakebite, it's ok if she's the last thing I see before waking up in hell!"Marked for Life is on Apple, Spotify, and our podcast Homepage.

Cody has words with Pap and leaves the church – again.This time, out of spite, he takes the church instruments with him. "Let's see if they can run the church with just one guitar!" he growls, leaving. "I was an evil, spiteful man back in those days." Cody is gone again, then back again, in and out of church. That is, until a new member named David walks through the church doors...

Cody outsmarts a prostitute on a Middlesboro mountainside.Pimps can set traps, stealing everything from unwitting "Johns." But Cody will not be robbed, beaten or killed. He knows the land too well.Most importantly, on Top of the World, he will not be discovered by the people he loves most.

Cody goes to the doctor, and after showing her his set of brass knuckles, she gives a troubling diagnosis. Does it slow Cody down?Also, he encounters a sneaky "street walker," who leaves him no options. What does he tell his wife?Also...the voices in Cody's head grow louder.

The Signs-following faith considers any "backslider" a "sinnerman." As Cody rages against his church, the terms easily apply.Cody said it best at the beginning of the series."I was told since childhood," he explained, "'Cody? You should give 110% to serving God! And, don’t be a hypocrite! 'But, if you do choose to serve the devil, then you should give him just as much effort!'"Well, that’s exactly what I did," he said.His trip to Greensboro is a perfect example of a sinnerman "backsliding" with abandon. Why curb any part of an appetite when one bite of the apple is as damning as eating it down to the core.So, in this episode, Cody tries to eat the whole tree.

Cody is life-flighted to the intensive care unit of the University of Tennessee Hospital. When the doctors wake him, his feel pain so excruciating, Cody welcomes the relief of death. "This hurts so bad!!!" he scribbles on paper. "PLEASE DOPE ME UP 'TILL I PASS OUT!!"Then, a stranger – a kind nurse – shows Cody and his wife a great kindness...The very next Sunday, Cody's back in church. Will he keep his faith this time? Will he return to the backsliding life? Will he ever handle a serpent again?

The reckoning comes. This time, it's all captured on camera by a multimedia company from London. It was why Cody kept away from snakes for months on end, fasting, and attempting to purify himself.When tragedy strikes, Big Cody Wynn jumps in. Cody now faces a choice: to live or to die.