Thanksgiving Day a friend's husband died of a drug overdose. He and his wife had been sober about 4 years and were very active in AA. He went up north to visit family for the holiday but his wife stayed behind to work. He apparently hooked up with some old friends and overdosed Thanksgiving night. This is a man who had several sponsees, knew the Book very well, was passionate about AA, volunteered at a treatment place, went to church regularly and was very happily married. Everyone was/is shocked by his death. What happened? Well, he had a needed surgery and was taking pain meds. My understanding is that he was having a great deal of pain. Apparently, the pain medications set off the phenomenon of craving. He was away from home, far from his wife, in pain and tempted, perhaps, and made a deadly decision. What can we learn from this? I don't know if he was misusing his meds or not, but it doesn't take much to set off the phenomenon of craving. This is a good time to remind people to be careful about how you take pain medication should you have the need for it. Have someone hold it for you and make sure you don't take extra, step up your meetings and keep close to people in the program.
Less than 3 years ago, a very close friend of mine who had moved an hour and a half away was found dead in her apartment after she had missed a couple of days of work. She had drank herself to death. She was one of those, I believe, that the BB talks about, one who was "constitutionally incapable of being honest with herself".
During the 7 1/2 years I have been with my home group, about 6 others have died - some drank themselves to death or OD'd. Two committed suicide. So sad.
RIP, my friends.