Sober 28 years since 9/27/2015, Sandi is a lively speaker with lots of enthusiasm for the AA Program. She grew up in Pennsylvania across the bridge from New Jersey. Her grandmother used to give her a dollar to drink beers with her when Sandi was 7 years old. Her mother found out and made her give it back.
Drunk the first time at 13, she loved it. By 16 she was blacking out and scared. But this was her relief. As long as she had a job, owned a car and did not drink in the morning then she would not be an alcoholic. She got 11 DUI's in 2 years but back then that was not the problem it is today. Her reaction was to move to Atlantic City where she got a bicycle and did not need to drive for 10 years. Running with a rough crowd with lots of great jobs she maintained her drinking by using weed between drinks.
In 1984 she moved back home. Then in August 1985 she got a job in Atlanta. Drinking alone and at home, she tried many tricks to control and enjoy her drinking but it was not until she came out of a blackout in the Chamblee City Jail that she finally came to AA to get her answer.
(34 min) (7.9 MB) (id#688)