Donnie Kirby

by Andrea Tadpole

For those of you who know me, you know that I have been sober in AA for almost 26 years, since July 5,1986. Over the years there have been a handful of people that I treasure as my friends. Donnie Kirby was one of them. Today I found out that Donnie was killed in a car accident.

Donnie was a member of my home group, High Noon at Rebos. He was one of the few people that were there for me when my life was falling apart last year. He was like the big brother I never had. He had a rotten sense of humor and laughter that was infectious. Donnie gave me hope and made me believe life could be fun again.

He celebrated two years of sobriety a few months ago. Things were looking up. He got a new truck and was going to school. Outwardly all looked well. Yet he relapsed. He went through treatment and gave it all he had, yet he relapsed again. Over the last couple of months he would call randomly. I could hear the torture in his voice. I wanted so much to save him yet I knew he was beyond my reach. He never made it back to AA.

Today my heart breaks because my best friend is gone. Yet the lesson he left behind for me is powerful. He has reminded me how important my sobriety is and how fragile life is. All we have is this moment...today. I love you Donnie, always have and always will. Fly free with the angels my dear friend. See you on the other side.