Thomas “Bud” McDonald got sober and changed the world in good ways.
Sometimes, it takes an addict:
Thomas “Bud”McDonald, who appeared as the freckled and big eared Buddy in several “Our Gang”movies in the 1930s and later co-founded what are now called the Southern California Alcohol and Drug Programs, dead from congestive heart failure at age 85. McDonald began his movie career at age 8 but moved to Oregon with his mother and two brothers after his parents divorced during his mid-teen years. He eventually moved back to Southern California and became a Los Angeles police officer. After four years on the force, he “left”the LAPD in part, according to his son, because of alcoholism and “running with a bad crowd.”His alcoholism-induced misbehaviors obviously worsened, as he was quickly convicted of armed robbery. During his prison stint, he began attending AA meetings and apparently stayed sober for the rest of his life. He got a job as a truck driver and became active in AA, often as a sponsor to “newbies,”with whom he went to court to help settle drunk driving charges. He got to know several judges, including Downey Municipal Court Judge Leon Emerson, with whom he helped launch educational and treatment programs in public schools. The two collaborated in developing a “court card”system allowing offenders to provide proof to the court of attendance at recovery meetings as a condition of their probation, a system that has been adopted nationally. Lynne Appel, executive director of one of the programs McDonald helped to create, told reporters that “his greatest satisfaction was having [recovering alcoholics] stop him and say they had a family, a car, and were paying their mortgage.”Just like you no doubt did, Bud, setting an example for countless others.
Dr. Basim Elhabashy said,
January 12, 2015 @ 9:25 pm
It is very nice collection in addiction recovery treatment. It is very helpful for me as well as others. So thanks for posting this blog.
edwardcejka said,
January 13, 2015 @ 12:48 am
I really would like to praise you for writing such a fabulous article Thanks for your great articles.