He nearly lost everything because of his drug addiction, but his friends helped to pull him back from 'the brink'.
The other team 'brought them to the brink of' defeat. [=came very close to defeating them]
an animal that has been 'brought/pulled back from the brink of' extinction
(..) ...and we have all lost so very much, so many loved ones gone. But you are not alone. There are pockets of Resistance all around the planet. We are at the brink. Do you wanna see a magic trick? Hold that up. Press the button. JOHN : Effective range of their main weapon is less than meters. (..)2009 Terminator Salvation