Excessive alcohol use accounted for more than 140,000 deaths per year.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. This month is designated to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. Join Cole P. Welch Caffrey with two amazing guests, Elias & Stella as they share their experience and strength while offering HOPE to those who continue to struggle.

Elias ground alcohol at a young age and quickly began on a downhill slope. Arrests, detoxes, and frayed family relations followed him until he got sober in 2012. Today he is active in the recovery community and holds a job in corporate finance. He enjoys the gym, disk golf, home repair projects, cooking, and reading.

Stella was a troubled teen who struggled since she was little. Had a son at age 16. She found a solution to her mental chaos in drugs and alcohol. Got married at the age of 23 after having a second child. Drug-fueled marriage followed by divorce, then another drug and alcohol-fueled relationship. Shattered relationships, lost jobs, and hurt children & parents were left in the wreckage. Landed in detox at age 35, for the first time in her life, scared and hopeless. Followed by residential treatment and sober living where she was introduced to the 12 steps and began a life-saving journey to recovery and hope. Today she lives with her two children, works as a clinician at a treatment center, plays on a few sober softball teams, and spends much of her time being of service to her community.

This episode is dedicated to: "Justin Stout" Justin was a well-known member of AA in Portland, ME. His jovial personality touched everyone he met. He made everyone feel loved and his smile was infectious. A father of two, he enjoyed being with his kids, working out, and helping others. He was deeply involved in his church where he could be found every Sunday. An electrician by trade, he worked hard and took pride in a job well done. Justin is deeply missed by many.