Gino’s Story

Gino H. I was born Over-Seas in a military family. “I was age 13 when I had my first drink. I loved the way alcohol made me feel. But, by age 16 I was blacking-out regularly. I got married at age 20 and I put my family through the nightmare for the next 10 years. “I was age 31 when I got sober and my sobriety birth-date is Oct. 16, 1985.  “My last drink was the just before I received my second DUI. I drove onto a military base while in a blackout. I was court-ordered to attend AA meetings for a year, and it stuck. I fell in love with AA right away. “I was doing a 90-day stint at a halfway house and they told me that I needed to attend AA meetings for a year. During the latter part of 1985, I lived near the Fair Avenue Alano Club and I started attending meetings regularly. “I became a member in 1985. I still have the same badge number. I’ve met many wonderful people; attended lots of meetings, and learned a great deal from the AA speakers.