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(#1209) Martha Ann C (Virginia Beach, VA)
8/17/2002 in Cartersville, GA  EVENT: 25th Allatoona Roundup  TYPE: Al-Anon, Female, Story

One of the Best Al-Anon Talks on WeJoy

With over 32 years in Al-Anon, keen insight, soft spoken, southern lady with a classic Virginia accent, Martha Ann said she was not there to take her husband Jack's inventory but would make some "loving observations" during the talk.

Her daughter flew from Portland, OR to be with her for the weekend.

Martha Ann came from a very happy, secure, non-drinking home. Then she met the man she had dreamed about who was in the 6th Calvary. She never saw him take a drink until 1942, the first Christmas after marriage and she put him to bed drunk. She was angry and had no fun. They decided not to talk about it.

He was gone for two years to WWII. When the hero came home to see their son, he got drunk. She hung on for year after year with H.O.P.E "Hang On Peace Exists". He was a periodic, so there times between that were happy.

"I did all the wrong things for all the right reasons."

"I was the answer to an alcoholic's prayer. Whatever he told me I believed it."

"Alcoholism is a lonely disease. It's lonely for alcoholics who suffer from it and it's lonely for those of us who love you and have to stand by and watch you slowly killing yourselves and we can't stop you and we can't help you because we don't know how."

The lengths she went to fix him are both astonishing, funny and touching.

She and her husband had a surrender and awakening experience independently in the same house on the same day with an even wilder twist that is well worth hearing.

Her husband Jack never drank again and died sober 12/13/1998 and was buried at Arlington with full honors.

Their son, an Air Force pilot, is a Vietnam MIA for 30 years and a grandson died drunk in a tragic car accident. She continued to remember that God is with us always and with them.

The last three and a half years without Jack have been the most difficult.

Still, she carries their "Love Story" on for both of them and for both Programs.


(58 min) (13.4 MB) (id#1209)

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