Sober 16 years since 12/22/2000, Jim is a very active member of AA, his family, church, community and profession.
He was born and raised in St. Louis, MO starting in 1958, the middle kid, who was driven to activity, in part, by what later was diagnosed and treated as a chemical imbalance.
By age 17 he had graduated high school among the youngest in school history but he was also an alcoholic who used drugs to control his drinking. He is thankful they got him to his bottom faster.
He had four car wrecks in that past year. His father became fed up with his behavior. Floored by "my idol's" rejection, Jim bet $500 he could finish college which he did with the help of speed and a natural talent for school.
He got the job of his dreams out of college, was transferred to Florida and there met his wife.
She was to stand by him through trying times and his insanity.
He lost that dream job for insubordination while high.
He lost nearly everything and came into AA but could not stay sober until his "surrender".
He opened the door to go outside the next morning and knew something had changed.
He does a marvelous job explaining how he was taken through the Steps by his first sponsor in Florida and how he guides others through the Steps now that he and his wife are living in Georgia.
Just before this talk he had been in St. Louis taking care of his ailing parents.
Later to me he wrote, "with my parents, for me it is about living an amends that needed to be lived after what I put them through."
NOTE: Jim gave a very good talk at this same event 8/1/2009 but the quality of the audio recording device was too low to meet the WeJoy standards.
(44 min) (15.3 MB) (id#1552)