My Father-in-Law had one brother who was a general and another who had been a skid row bum. In his 60s he came to live with and sort of take care of his parents until they died.
He must have somehow kicked the habit as I never saw him drunk. The interesting thing is I liked him better than any of his far more successful siblings.
I often think some people aren’t meant for major success and are better at the humble things. The real problem begins when in the view of many, the humble things aren’t good enough. So the humble and decent types can’t handle the disdain.