Sober 43 years since 3/4/1949, Joe comes from what he calls "basic AA". His home group was the Skyland Group in Atlanta, GA.
Born and raised in Fall River, MA, he has lived in Atlanta 40 years. One of 6 kids, at 12 his mother began a journey to a series of hospitals for manic depressive psychosis. He compensated by being an over achiever until at 15 he found the answer: alcohol. He passed out and drank the next morning. He drank like that for the next 15 years.
He went to Harvard. At 21 he joined the Marines and went to War in WWII. On track for a commission he woke up on a park bench 73 hours into a 72 hour pass.
He lost his chance to gain rank and served in the front lines in the Pacific. He returned home with an honorable discharge, wounded but only in a bar brawl, lost a chance to join the family business and went out west seeking his fortune.
He got married, returned home, He now has four kids and 10 grandchildren. His wife kicked him out with one of those kids on the way. He went to the south side of Boston, skid row, with the other street bums.
There he found AA at age 27 after numerous trips to the hospital.
(59 min) (13.6 MB) (id#750)
