A Tragic Day in Central Park

I grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and by most accounts, I lived in a loving community and felt supported. Right around the time I started drinking my sober dad relapsed, and my parents separated. I promised myself that I would never allow drinking to get in the way of those I loved. From the beginning, I was a blackout drinker. After a handful of drinks, the self-doubts that plagued me would melt away, and I could be the person I wanted to be. By securing a fake ID while still in high school, I was that guy who got booze for my friends for parties. I found something I was good at! This was the beginning of my “golden years” of drinking.