Season 5 Episode 12
Sandy
Age: 40’s
Location: Gloucester, Massachusetts
Addiction: Alcohol (vodka), pills
What’s memorable: Her husband, also an alcoholic, beat her up and then got sober 9 months ago. And Sandy loves him more than anything, just wants him back. Also, the completely vacant look Sandy always has on her face, and the lovely daughter that takes care of her – I just want to hug her.
Note: Sandy passed away after she left treatment.
Official Synopsis: By her late 20’s, Sandy had achieved the American Dream. She was married with four beautiful daughters and owned a home she and her husband built themselves. But today, Sandy’s life is unrecognizable from what it once was. Her days consist of combining prescription drugs with a pint of vodka, and relying on her daughters to monitor both her diabetes and drinking. Her speech is slurred, and she’s been hospitalized several times. Her family has only one option left–an intervention.
Original Air Date: March 2009
Interventionist: Candy
R.I.P.
I was in a detox with her after this aired. . Sad to hear she passed. .. may she r.i.p away from this disease
Deb… I can’t believe how sad this is.
When I left rehab I gave her my pillow and shoes and a few other things to make her stay more comfortable…
Wynn just called me yesterday and told me. I would love to send card or flowers or something…….
I think I’ve seen almost every episode of Intervention there is, but none touched me as deeply as Sandy’s story. I’m an insulin dependent diabetic like she was. Though I was diagnosed as a type 1 as a child, there really isn’t much difference between our diseases. I’ve had my share of traumatic life events too, and became a very severe alcoholic in 2010 when my mother had a massive brain bleed and I became her round the clock caregiver. Very quickly my every-day-all-day drinking got out of control, and I went into diabetic ketoacidosis for the first time on Mother’s Day of 2012. I kept drinking and then added in the prescription pills I was getting for being in the ICU constantly. I lost my job as a healthcare professional, became homeless, and lost custody of my kids in Jan of 2013 at ages 6&8. I came very close to death several times. Thankfully I hit my rock bottom in February of 2013 and have now been sober 3.5 years. My children are back with me and thriving, I’m giving great patient care again, have a husband I adore and just bought myself a car. How I ever survived all that and am thriving so now, I’ll never truly understand. Sandy’s story moved me so because what she put her beautiful daughters through I was on my way to doing to my own children. The DKA she died from could – and SHOULD – have taken my life as well. I was Sandy. And seeing her story gave me that reminder of what I was and could be so easily again. Just like Candy, I got sober for my kids, and I CHOOSE to be sober for them every day. Sandy and her beautiful girls, God bless you all. Thank you for sharing your story so others – like me – can live.
Sandy’s episode really hit me (and that was even before I knew she had passed away). The severity of her addiction was so clear and Candy’s connection to her was so strong. So sad to hear she’s gone.
If you had bothered to do any research before posting that idiotic comment you’d have found out that she died of diabetic ketoacidosis. I believe that’s mentioned on this very site under the “POST-INTERVENTION DEATHS” tab. Why would you even post such a thing?
That vitriolic tone really necessary?
Yes, the vitriolic tone is necessary…a person just randomly muses that the very caring and sober ex-husband might have killed a clearly sick woman because he once beat her badly.
This is my mother, people on this show are real, not fake. Maybe think about what you say before you say it thanks.
Am thinking of you and your sisters. My father was an alcoholic and died of cirrhosis. 14 years ago. It never goes away.
Thinking of you all and hope you have found peace with the support of one another.
You girls were very brave and very loving. It is a true tragedy what happened in your family. I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother.
I am working on recovery myself for my own wellness and to do the right thing by my children. My own mother spent 12 years sober, but has spent much of the last 12 drinking…mostly heavily. I feel your pain and despair and hope I can break the cycle.
I wish you all well. Addiction is a dangerous illness and some of us don’t survive. My thoughts for the continued blessing of your father’s recovery and the joy you will find as your own families grow.
I’m writing this for whoever it is that checks the comments before they are posted. I’m beyond disgusted that you would allow someone to comment that they wonder if the husband killed her. I’m shocked you monitor these comments and would read that one and say to yourself “I’ll go ahead with this one and post it”. You even saw how upset this made her daughter and even then decided to keep it up. This website might be helpful but whoever you are reading these comments before they get posted I’m disappointed in you. Bet you won’t post this one but I do hope you at least read this and consider taking down that horrible one.
Christine totally agree with you. This forum should be monitored WAYYYY better than it is right now. So many horrific comments on these episodes.
My gosh, this season… In only half way though it but wow it’s rough
In one way I wasn’t surprised to hear that Sandy died. The extent of her addiction on her diabetes was too much for her body to handle. I think that she truly wanted to get sober. It didn’t help that she was in an abusive relationship. Sandy’s daughter who cared for her was an angel. As it it’s been said time and again in the halls of AA. The only way that an alcoholic (and addict) are free of the horrible disease of addiction is death. Sandy is at least for free of the disease of addiction. May she rest in eternal peace.
First off James I would like to know what AA meetings you’ve ever attended that said the only way to stop this disease is death? I happened to be a recovering alcoholic and I’m 5 1/2 years sober never relapsed and I never once heard that was a solution to being free from the disease it’s willpower and with gods help to keep you strong that’s the way you survive this disease she had ketoacidosis because she drank it made her kidneys and her diabetes 10 times worse.
Please check your facts about AA!!!!
i don’t think you are understanding what james is saying. once an addict, always an addict. there is no “solution” or “cure” and the only difference is where you are in regards to sobriety. so james is right in the sense that drug/alcohol addiction is there to stay for as long as you live but once you die you are finally free from it, in a sense. don’t take everything so literally.
I think it’s you who needs to check their AA facts. Not sure what meetings you’re going to but AA strongly enforces the fact that it’s NOT willpower that will keep us sober. The first step (We admitted we were POWERLESS over alcohol) proves it’s not about will power. Come on that’s like AA 101 Denise.
Thoughts of comfort and warmth to Sandy’s family and friends. <3
Anyone have a link for where it can be watched? A&E gets rid of episodes if someone dies and haven’t found it on dailymotion. Thanks.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7v575s?playlist=x6nixk
The only episode I haven’t found on Daily Motion or YouTube is Austin!
Hey Christine the link you posted doesn’t work, do you know where I can watch this episode? I’ve never seen it, I’m also looking for Megan Wood’s episode if anyone has it. I think I’ve seen every episode except for these 2
They still play them on TV though.
I remember this episode from so many years ago Sandi was such a likeable person on the show but her drinking got the better of her and neglecting herself while she had diabetis and her heavey drinking deadly combo I remember how she lovingly talked about her husband Billy and how she was still so in love with him even while they were separated …. and wanted to stop drinking so badly to bring her family back together my condolences to her family and grandkids rest easy sandi🌹🌹🌹
Wow!
I have been wondering what ended up happening with her, but I couldn’t remember what her name was. I just decided to come on here to check and see if anything was new and I realized this was her. I am so very sad to hear this, especially after she managed to get sober. R.I.P