Someone once said, “Failure is for learning.” There are no better lessons than those learned the hard way. Consider The Village at Castle Pines neighbor Carl. His story is consistent with the credo of Alcoholics Anonymous, one of love and service.

For 17 of his 40 years in recovery, Carl has been involved in corrections, giving hope and sobriety direction to some of the most hardened inmates in Colorado, estimated at some 25,000 men. During COVID-19 lockdowns, he was asked to be a circuit speaker on Zoom, speaking to incarcerated men and women in recovery throughout the United States.

Carl was a son of a father who died of active, untreated alcoholism and a bi-polar mother who refused her medications. In spite of it all, Carl was a gifted athlete and scholar, excelling at golf and swimming in high school and college.

Professionally things came easy. A pharmaceutical representative for both Baxter Travenol and Johnson & Johnson, Carl’s performance was epic for the industry. But with his fame came entertaining and drinking heavily. Asked about his spirituality at the time, he responded “I attended the Church of Tanqueray.”

Spiraling downward, Carl also felt a gnawing. “If this was success,” he thought, “why was there no real satisfaction in it?” He hit rock bottom almost 40 years ago. Were it not for the intervention of Reverend Erickson, an AA member himself, Carl would likely not have survived his fourth decade.

Carl realized that up until age 38, “I chased ‘things,’ of which there were never enough and I was miserable.” He began attending AA meetings regularly and began to absorb and then adhere to the AA’s 12-step program. Famed AA author Richmond Walker’s quote, “Happiness cannot be sought directly but is a by-product of service and love,” struck a chord with Carl.

His speaking “career” in corrections began in Arapahoe and Douglas County jails and then migrated to Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center, one of five Level 4 treatment facilities in Colorado. Carl’s success and ability to connect with some who were long written off by society is because of his zeal and personal journey.

To date, Carl has guided more than 75 men through the AA program. He attends between seven and 10 AA meetings every week and is even more active than when he started in 1985.

Carl has a daughter and three grandsons living in Iowa. Asked about hobbies, the answer reverts to his passion for service to others, which Carl practices every day.

According to Carl, who now serves as a local historian for AA, anonymity in the program is important. He asked us not to use his last name or photo. The Eleventh Tradition of AA states, “Our public relation policy is based on attraction rather than promotion: we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and film.”

For additional information about AA or to find a meeting near you, visit AA.org or call 303-322-5636.

 

By Joe Gschwendtner