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We have invited three people to share their experience, strength and hope on the topic of

turning 21 in sobriety. Our panelists will be Christy from L.A., Tessa from New York, and Ed from Jersey.

And so please welcome Christy.

Tessa.

Please welcome Tessa.

You had it, probably.

Hi, I'm Tessa. I'm an alcoholic. Hi, Tessa.

I'm an alcoholic.

Okay, so I turned 21 in sobriety, and I guess that's what qualifies me to be up here.

I don't know, I kind of feel like I cheated.

I had 17 days when I turned 21, so I kind of

squeaked in under the wire. But to the beginning of my story, I got drunk for the first

time when I was 11. My mom and I were staying in a hotel, and they had apple meat brandy.

And so she poured me, you know, a little taste. And I And when she went in the bathroom later on, I had hated the taste, but I liked the way it burned when I went down my throat.

So I poured myself like half a glass, downed it really quickly before she came out of the bathroom.

And later on that night, as the room kind of spun around me, I, for the first time of my life, felt okay in my skin.

And I realized that this was a way that I could survive because I hated, I wasn't comfortable in life from a very young age.

And so then, you know, fast forward, I'm drinking with my friends and, you know,

my drinking started off normal, quote unquote. You know, I would drink with my friends and nothing

...