One of the co-founders of SA in my city Melbourne, Australia, died in May, 2015. John, along with myself and another member started SA here in December 1992. Our first meeting was us three with a White Book in a public park.
On February 10th, 2014, I learned that Randy had passed away from a heart attack a few days earlier, while on a holiday cruise with his wife. Randy would have had five years of sobriety on February 22, 2014. Randy’s life had quite an impact on me, and I have felt moved to share it.
He would tell anyone who would listen that SA saved his life. On March 10, 2015, Fenner U., one of SA’s longest-standing and staunchest members, went home to be with God.
On March 13, 2014, John C. of Rochester, NY passed away. He was a real beacon to those of us who knew and interacted with him. This included sponsors, sponsees, fellow SA members here and around the world, and members of SA’s International service structure.
My first SA sponsor, Frank S. (also known as Francis), passed away on Sunday, March 3rd at the ripe old age of 90, about one month away from his 91st birthday. I first met Frank in early December 2000, around 6:30 on a Saturday morning in San Diego He was 78 at the time, and he had just returned earlier that week from visiting China.
On a beautiful spring night in 2009, I was driving to a funeral home south of the city, listening to an old cassette tape, a gift from Art L. “My buddy… my buddy, “he crooned. “Your buddy… misses you!” The familiar gruff voice with its approximate pitching brought back a flood of memories. I wondered what had happened to my friend.
Dear Fellow SA Members: This quarter I would like to share my deep gratitude for Roy K.’s impact on my life, as I have expressed in my following letter to him.
Writing from your heart the vision splendid, Endowing SAs hence to know God’s power, Let love for fellow members be unended, Let the healing Twelve flourish and flower.
I remember being at an SA retreat in Oregon in 1995, when an old-timer named Harry gave Roy a hug during a speaker meeting, forgiving him for something. I was quite moved.
In September 2007, I attended my first regional conference in Irvine, CA. This was my first conference and the first time I had driven alone early on a Saturday morning (for 1 ½ hours) for my recovery. I was 29 years old and two years sober.
