Steve H’s Story

“Steve H. was a great kid who lost my way to alcohol and other addictions. Then I found my way back to being a great kid again, at an older age.” Steve was born in Chicago and grew-up on a large farm outside of the city. Steve’s mother was a “Stay-at-home Mom” and his father worked in Chicago at Sears. “My Dad helped to open up new Sears stores around the country, and opened-up the first Sears store in San Jose at Meridian and San Carlos.” Steve spent time on the family farm in Northern Illinois and often worked during the Summer at a resort his family owned in the North woods of Minnesota. His family moved to San Jose in 1957, and he has lived here ever since. However, he often travels in the Summer back to help-out on the farm in Northern Illinois and the resort in Northern Minnesota.  Steve said “I got mixed-up with alcohol early on. At age 12, I got thrown out of the Boy Scouts. We were camping at a campground at the Pinnacles National Park. I provided the alcohol and several of the boys got drunk. They ended-up going to the hospital to get their stomachs pumped.” Steve noted that he started drinking much earlier than age 12…”that beer was available to the farm workers.” How Did You Find Out About AA “The first time was when I was 18, and I was staying in Minnesota. I believe it was back in 1967. I got carried away while visiting some Native American friends on their reservation. I got them drunk and stoned.” When Steve’s parents heard about it, they sent him to the Hazelden Treatment Center in Minnesota. “I was too young and hard-headed. I felt that my Native American friends and I had just gotten carried away!” In 1973, Steve was sentenced to the correctional center at Vacaville for observation. He volunteered for an experimental program that the state penal system was using to help prisoners recover from their various addictions. The program involved a move to the California Rehabilitation Center at Corona (CRC). The rehab treatment staff used various programs, not all were A.A. “I had become more of a periodic drinker; more than a periodic offender, more than a periodic everything. I had been given a 15-year sentence; but if I volunteered for the CRC program they would set my sentence aside and give me a seven-year parole.” The clincher was that, “if I did anything wrong I would have to go back to prison and serve time for nine–years and nine months. Having a dirty drug test was just one of the many offenses that would send me back to prison.” Steve noted that 93 % of prisoners who accept that deal never achieve the goal. “That’s not counting those who died while on parole. By my mid-40’s I had been in and out of prison, jails, and hospitals due to my addictions. I lost jobs and relationships and everything precious.” I knew about A.A. from the various programs which I had tried. I also had friends who came to A.A. and it had changed their life. On Dec. 27, 1995 I was in the hospital, and was in a coma for 13 days, until Jan. 9, 1996. I was beaten, I had nothing left! I had made a promise to my family, my daughters, my doctors, and my friends – that I would do whatever they asked me to do to change my life. I was immediately placed in a Chemical Dependency Recovery Program (CDRP) for two years. After 45 days I had completed Phase One, and I was required to move into a clean and sober living environment. I liked the program so well that I stayed with it for seven years, moving into various roles in management in the Transitional Living Center (TLC) at various SF Bay area locations. At that time the TLC was down the street from the Alando Club of San Jose. This was back in 1996. During my first seven years of sobriety I was active with the Alano Club.” “I sponsor people. I am working with four people at this time. I meet with each one weekly. There are other people whom I have sponsored that are low maintenance sponsees. We have become friends. I have served two terms on the Board of Directors and been the chairperson for the Fair Avenue Fellowship and Secretary Coordinator for the 32 meetings that we have each week here at the Alano Club. I try to keep all meeting going despite changing secretaries.” Steve is a retired painter and has done lots of painting for the Club. He also feeds the cats each morning. “This is my retirement, my church, my volunteer program, and it’s my life!” What Is Your Advice for the Newcomer? 1. “Keep coming back. 2. Work the Steps. 3. Be a part of the Fellowship. 4- Get involved with the Club. 5. Reach-out and accept the help that’s available. 6. Help other newcomers to feel welcome.” Steve concluded the interview by saying, “I encourage new people to share at meeting level.”