Touching and a bit historic.
The first Alateen to speak at an Atlanta Roundup, Mattie has been in Alateen 5 years since 2010 at age 12 and in 7th grade. Her mother is her qualifier, is sober 3 years and was in the audience hearing her daughter tell her story for the first time.
Her mother was not really there for her until she got sober. Her parents divorced when Mattie was 6. She was relieved because the yelling was less.
Her dad took her to Al-Anon where he was the only man. Mattie was not comfortable there. Her mom drug her into Alateen and bribed her with ice cream afterward. She did not like the first Alateen group. Then she shifted to the meeting at the NABA Club in 2012 which is now her home group.
She is at that age where she is a little too old for Alateen and a little too young for Al-Anon.
(10 min) (1.8 MB) (id#1328)
