Real People of the Big Book - looking at the individuals behind aa folklore:

Edwin T. "Ebby" Thacher (1896-1966), who passed the message of recovery to Bill:

"My musing was interrupted by the telephone. The cheery voice of an old school friend asked if he might come over. He was sober. It was years since I could re member his coming to New York in that condition. I was amazed. Rumor had it that he had been committed for alcoholic insanity. I wondered how he had escaped...

In a matter of fact way he told how two men had appeared in court, persuading the judge to suspend his commitment. They had told of a simple religious idea and a practical program of action. That was two months ago and the result was self-evident. It worked!

He had come to pass his experience along to me—if I cared to have it. I was shocked, but interested. Certainly I was interested. I had to be, for I was hopeless.

Big Book page 9-10

Ebby relapsed before Bill began writing the Big Book and struggled with drinking much of his life. However, he was sober when he passed away.

Read a biography of Ebby here: https://storiesofrecovery.org/history.htm#EbbyT