After finishing school, “I was a licensed funeral director and embalmer.” This experience exposed John to older men who were heavy drinkers. Soon, he started “alcoholic drinking.”

 

 

 “I knew alcohol was taking over my life when I started to lie... I started to make excuses to my friends so that I could drink. I lost my job at the funeral home and got jobs that hid my drinking.”

 

 

“I was a heavy drinker from the start – 5-10 beers and 2-3 shots daily; later, I was drinking 20 beers and 2-3 shots of ginger brandy every day.”