Jimmy S. – Sober Since October 1999 (Encore of Episode 21)

[This is an encore of Episode 21, originally released April 8, 2021]  The original episode is available on this podcast by searching for or scrolling down to Episode 21 on your podcast app or by visiting aarecoveryinterviews.com. After a difficult adolescence, prison sentence, and series of dead-end jobs, Jimmy finally hit the jackpot. He was hired by a California winery, where he worked for over 20 years. This dream job not only allowed him to drink while at work, but actually required it. His job as a wine salesman necessitated intimate knowledge of every bottle he sold and daily drinking with customers. Thus, Jimmy’s long-time alcoholism and drug abuse was fueled by the demands of his job. Then came his downward spiral replete with divorces, physical decline, drunk driving, and mental issues. Fortunately, as the bottom approached, he had a moment of clarity. After 30 days inpatient treatment, he found AA and has stayed sober ever since. Ironically, when he got sober and informed his employer, he was fired for not agreeing to drink on the job. For a functional alcoholic, this was another gift he could not ignore. Over his more than 21 years of sobriety, Jimmy has parlayed that experience into a strong program focused on constant service to the fellowship and helping people in his community. Though I only met Jimmy about a year ago on Zoom, we formed an instant bond based on a shared love for Alcoholics Anonymous and our mutual willingness to help others. I’ve been fascinated by his story and feels like I’ve known him for years. I think you’ll feel that way, too, over the next hour as you listen to this AA Recovery Interview with my AA brother, Jimmy S. If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs and no one receives financial gain from the show. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. -Howard L.]