Alcohol is no longer part of my life. I don’t miss it, and I have no intention of ever touching the stuff again. When I left Thamkrabok temple almost 6 years ago I was convinced my addiction had ended, and I still feel exactly the same way today. Some might say that I’m being overly confident, but it is just the way I feel.

The Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous Asked for Whiskey on His Death Bed



In the biography My Name Is Bill Susan Cheever reveals how the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous asked for alcohol shortly before his death. At the time he was losing his battle against chronic emphysema and only had days to live. It is reported the he asked for whisky on four separate occasions, but it was never given to him. It appears that protecting the legacy of the man who founded Alcoholics Anonymous was more important than comfort during his last hours. Bill Wilson’s requests for whiskey were recorded in the notes by the nurse taking care of him.

I personally find it a bit deplorable that Bill W. was not given alcohol when he requested it. I have experience working as a nurse in palliative care, and I have seen how tough the process of dying can be. People can be terrified so anything that can give them some comfort is welcome. The only reason that I can see why Bill W. was denied his dying request was an attempt to protect his image and the image of the program he created. These are not good justifications in my mind. He had already made it to the end of his life so what difference did it make if he drank again? It wasn’t like he was going to go on a drunken rampage or damage his liver. It just bothers me that this man who had helped so many was denied some final comfort and for what?

If I Ask For Whiskey on My Deathbed Please Give It to Me

I have no plans to ask for whiskey on my deathbed, but if I do it should be given to me. I intend to leave this world completely sober because I want to fully observe the process – even if it is only blinking out into nothingness. The reality is though, that we have no idea how we are going to react to dying until we are facing it. Ram Dass talks about this in the documentary Fierce Grace . He devoted decades to spiritual training but he still felt overwhelmed when faced with own death – this was when he was having his stroke. Dying is not an easy thing.

Update: I am so suprised that people continue to find this post because it seems like such a long time since I wrote it. Thank you to everyone who has engaged with it. I haven’t replied much to recent comments because I’m no longer sure what to say, but you guys are doing a fantastic job filling in for me. I probably wouldn’t write this post at this stage in my life, but I’m glad I did. Please do check out my more recent posts.