I've met guys in AA who've been in the group for years. I am continually amazed at their level of committment to sobriety. It's too bad that some people have to take someone's life to come to the level of clarity that you have.
I never went to AA, I forced myself to quit and set myself up for ridicule if I failed. I told my friends that I was done drinking, they didn't believe me and I set out to prove them wrong. I even carried a can of beer around with me for several months because I needed to get used to being around it without drinking. I didn't want to give up my friends along with alcohol.
It's been several years now.