February 17th marked six years since we lost the founder of this site, Miracles in Progress. The anniversary was noted on another MIP message board and I felt a need to acknowledge it here as well. The Al-Anon message board has been the most active at this site and I am forever grateful to John F for it's creation as well as this entire site. This is where my recovery began as a newcomer then where I fill my first service position after six months of recovery in Al-anon. John was the person who PM'd me and encouraged me to become a chairperson. Although being a chairperson in the Al-anon chatroom was a bumpy ride initially, the support was great and the rewards from performing service greater still.

John was definitely someone who understood the value of 12 step service both online and in his day to day life. With gratitude for his own recovery, he created this site which so many have benefited from ever since.

Although he's no longer here, his spirit lives on in the experience, strength and hope offered in his posts. Reading them has brought back memories of John as well as my own recovery journey.

His self-deprecating sense of humor was one of his gifts and especially remembered. When speaking of himself as a recovering alcoholic, he would say "You can take the rum out of a fruitcake but you still have a fruitcake." He also showed us a little animated song and dance video he created for us. He called it the Al-anon wiggle and encouraged us to try it! He was definitely a fun loving person. His humor especially during late night chatroom gatherings helped to ease tension and worry if even for just for a moment for a newcomer to Al-anon. It was usually followed by offering some personal program wisdom gained as a recovering alcoholic and Al-anon member. Lots of people including myself kept coming back to those late night chats in part because of John. He as well as others were helping newcomers feel understood, supported and less alone. Our Al-anon meetings here grew as did our meeting after the meeting, our chat time. It was a group effort that began with John's creation of this site.

One of his last wishes that he expressed was that Miracles in Progress continue after his death. I'm so glad that we have been able to fulfill that wish and thankful we continue in our recovery and support of one another at this site.