William Griffith Wilson

Date of Birth: November 26, 1895

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: January 24, 1971

Biography

William Griffith Wilson, commonly known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was an American co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a worldwide fellowship with over 2 million members. Born on November 26, 1895, in East Dorset, Vermont, Bill W. faced a challenging upbringing after his parents separated when he was young. He was raised by his maternal grandparents and struggled with a sense of abandonment and loneliness throughout his childhood. Despite these early challenges, Bill W. excelled academically and attended Norwich University and later, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, it was during his service in World War I that he began to struggle with alcoholism, a battle that would define much of his life’s work. In 1935, after years of struggling with his addiction, Bill W. had a spiritual awakening that led him to co-found Alcoholics Anonymous with Dr. Bob Smith. This organization introduced the 12-step program, which has helped millions achieve sobriety. Bill W. dedicated the rest of his life to supporting the recovery of alcoholics and advocating for the understanding and treatment of addiction. Bill W. passed away on January 24, 1971, but his legacy continues to impact countless lives through the ongoing work of Alcoholics Anonymous.

5 Interesting Facts about William Griffith Wilson

1. Bill W.’s spiritual awakening occurred in 1934 at Towns Hospital in New York City after he underwent a treatment involving the hallucinogen belladonna.

2. Before founding AA, Bill W. was a successful stockbroker; however, his alcoholism led to significant career setbacks.

3. He wrote the book “Alcoholics Anonymous,” also known as “The Big Book,” which is considered a foundational text for those in recovery.

4. Bill W. experimented with LSD in the 1950s, believing it might help alcoholics achieve the kind of spiritual awakening that had helped him.

5. Despite his pivotal role in founding AA, Bill W. never made any profit from the organization, opting to keep it free and accessible to all who needed it.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from William Griffith Wilson

1. “We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity, is the greatest safeguard that Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have.”

2. “The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.”

3. “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”

4. “Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish.”

5. “There is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: one was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Bill W. did not amass personal wealth from his work with Alcoholics Anonymous, as he believed in the principle of maintaining the organization’s accessibility and integrity. Therefore, his net worth was modest, primarily consisting of his personal belongings and any income he earned from his writing.

Children

Bill W. and his wife, Lois Wilson, did not have any biological children but were deeply involved in the lives of many recovering alcoholics, often providing guidance and support as if they were their own family.