At the time, I was still attending college in Memphis, and after getting her into the hospital that night, I spent my Christmas Eve sleeping on the couch of my school's EE lounge (fortunately my dorm key somehow opened every door on campus).
A handful of years later, when I was married with a one-year-old son, my Mom's second husband had died of alcoholism. We were moving cross country from OK to Tampa, FL, and we offered to take pick her up along the way and move her with us.
Once in FL, her alcoholism continued to manifest. Only, this time she had to deal with her tough-love son. I told her that she could either straighten up or she's be headed North on a Greyhound bus the next day. I remember saying ... "We're a family here, not a psychiatric ward."
She told me that, that night, she prayed to God that her alcoholism be lifted or that her life be taken. When she said that prayer her alcoholism was lifted.
That was 35 years ago. She went on to be a valued member of our family, worked in the business we started, and was a wonderful live-in grandmom to my three sons. She saw them grow to full adulthood and start their own families.
As I type this she is sleeping soundly in the next room.
There is always hope.
Thank you for sharing. Mine died of alcohol-induced dementia eight months ago.
Wonderful story. You did a wonderful thing.
My heart is melting. Such a sweet story.
“She told me that, that night, she prayed to God that her alcoholism be lifted or that her life be taken. When she said that prayer her alcoholism was lifted.”
Was an alcoholic for a bit over 16 years, and nearly at the bottom of the well having drunk my way down. An early morning dream which I attribute to our Heavenly Father cured me. That was it. I’d tried quitting drinking several times before, with the longest abstinence being about six weeks. But that dream...
Have been sober since that morning. My prayer is that every alcoholic could experience that dream.
Wow, what a great success story. God bless you all.