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
(..) That's the only reason. It's what pays for the whole party. It's what pays for your science. Now, those savages are threatening our whole operation, we're on the brink of war, and you're supposed to be finding a diplomatic solution. So use what you've got, and get me some results. (..)2009 Avatar