This is a letter I wrote to share after the passing of my AA Sponsor and dear friend, Jack Fisher.
My name is Robert, and I am an alcoholic. I want to thank my friend Richard for thinking of me and asking me to send something that he could read on my behalf with respect to Jack. First of all, I want to encourage anyone in the room who is new or relatively new to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. If I have learned anything in my 32 plus years of personal recovery is that every person in the room has earned their seat. I have further come to believe that this is a program designed for a lifetime. When we consider a person like Jack and we can see how he lived his life with 44 years of personal recovery we can see that this is true. I think one of the most challenging things that we face in early recovery is understanding that one day at a time is a design for living a lifetime. Thinking of Jack is hard to do with how great emotion being invoked. Jack was a giant in my life. I had come to know Jack shortly after I had relapsed with 71 days sobriety. I was needing a sponsor because my sponsor had moved away. I had prayed and contemplated as to who God would want me to select as my sponsor. One day at the Turning Point, Jack appeared around the corner. I was convinced that is who God would choose for me. When I told that to Jack he simply said “Who am I to argue with God.“ The next few years Jack would prove to be instrumental in essentially every phase of my life. There was not a major decision that I made that did not include his opinion and in most cases direction and guidance. Jack became a friend of my family. Jack knew my mom and dad and was instrumental in helping me walk through my father’s funeral at 2 1/2 years of recovery. Jack was friends with my wife and all my children. Jack was a deep and personal friend to me. I carry Jack with me every day. It is something that I do. It is a little different knowing that he is not here physically. However, he lives in my heart as he does with so many of us. I carry him and his message wherever I go. As I sat with Jack at his bedside a few days before he passed away, I asked Jack, with a sense of urgency, what he would want me to tell others about the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. In simple “Jack” wisdom he looked at me and said “Bob, tell them it works.“ And for those of you who know Jack, that makes perfect sense that that is what he would say as he lay in bed knowing he was likely going to die soon. My love to Lala and her amazing friendship over 30 years and all of those who are in this room today celebrating the life of a man who was more than a friend. He was more than a sponsor. He was all I ever asked for. His trusted leadership would guide me into recovery. God bless you all have a wonderful day and thank you for honoring this man I hold so dear. My name is Robert, and I am an alcoholic.
I hope you share all you can share with those while still living. Once some passing, the opportunity is lost.
Robert Pardon
Robert is the Recovery Guy. Getting clean and sober on April 25, 1986 has given me the insight and practical skill set to not only stay sober, but to also re-invent myself to the person I always wanted to become. Showing others how to do this is my life goal.
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